TLK: The Bonds of Trust
by MJDisneyfan4ever
Summary: After losing her parents at a young age to a murderous lion and facing abuse from her mean spirited aunt, a young African-Romani woman named Shani runs away from her village and ends up wandering off in the Savannah. After having a run in with three hyenas, she is rescued by a strong lion king named, Mufasa. He then takes her in and she and his son Simba go on an amazing adventure.
1. Prologue: Tragic Beginnings

**_Prologue: Tragic Beginnings_** **  
**  
The people of an African tribe were running around in a panic! A young, dark lion had snuck into the village and started attacking their home and the people. The women of the village were running and screaming in fright, trying to protect their babies, while the village men were pointing torches and spears, doing everything they could to scare the lion away.

While this was going on, a little girl was watching on. She was an African little girl with purple eyes, long curly black hair and was wearing a small yellow dress. She looked on in the crowd and noticed that she had dropped her small stuffed lion doll just a few feet away from them. Wanting to get her doll back, she quickly ran over to go get it. However, as she picked up her doll, she turned to see the lion roar and come charging at her. The little girl screamed in terror as the lion jumped out, ready to go in for the kill.

Luckily however, the lion was knocked away by her father and the village chief, Jaffe. He knocked the vicious lion away with a Bakora staff, standing protectively in front of his daughter. Suddenly, his wife, Topanga came running over to them and shouted while taking their child in her arms,

"Jaffe!"

Jaffe ordered her, "Go! Take Shani and run into the house! Now!"

Following his order, Topanga ran, carrying Shani in her arms as she ran into their house, shutting the door tight and blocking it with a huge block of wood.

Jaffe turned his attention back to the lion as he started to get up. He grabbed a spear from behind his back and slashed at the lion's left eye, leaving a bloody scar and angering the vicious animal. He then shouted as the other village came to join him,

"Come on, YOU!"

The lion then grabbed the stick with his teeth, throwing it away and pouncing at the village chief. Topanga watched through a window in horror as she saw her husband being killed by the lion and screamed,

"JAFFE!"

Little Shani tugged at her mother's dress and asked with worry, "What's wrong with Daddy?"

Suddenly, the lion started attacking the villagers. He knocked one of their torches out of their and it fell towards one of the village houses, starting a huge fire. Taking quick action, Topanga took her daughter by the hand and walked further down the house,

"Shani, follow me. Quickly!"

The fire started spreading, and the villagers started fleeing their home. The lion however, looked over to the burning house that Topanga had ran into. Making a roar, the lion started making his way towards the house and started using his claws to slash through the door.

Meanwhile, Topanga and Shani had ran over to the wall with a blanket hanging over it, that remained behind the table. Topanga said as she lifted up the blanket, showing a small passage way within the wall,

"This is a passage way. Use it to crawl out of the house, and leave the village."

Shani asked, "Aren't you coming with me, Mommy?"

Topanga answered with a sad expression,

"I can't. I'm gonna hold off the lion for as long as I can, and the hole's not big enough for me to crawl through. You must go alone."

Shani said as she started to cry, "No! I don't want to go without you! Don't make me go, Mommy!"

Topanga pulled her child into a comforting embrace and said, placing a hand onto her cheek,

"Shani, you are a brave, tough, and kind young girl. You are capable of doing many great things, and someday, these people will look to you as their leader."

She then took off her blue and stone necklace and placed it around Shani's neck, saying,

"Here, take my necklace. This necklace holds a great ability to communicate with animals, they will help you along your journey. And no matter what happens or where life takes you, your father and I will always be with you. You will find your purpose in the circle of life, my darling."

Shani immediately wrapped her arms around her mother in a tight embrace, saying,

"I love you, Mommy."

Topanga said, returning the hug, "I love you too, Shani."

After a moment of their loving embrace, they noticed the vicious lion clawing his way through the door. With quick instincts, Topanga shouted as she pushed her daughter through the small passage,

"Now go! GO!"

And with that, Shani made her way out of the small house and took off running. As she ran through the tall grass and further from the village, she heard a huge scream and loud roars coming from her house and she turned back, screaming out in terror,

"MOMMY!"

She watched as her village, her home, was destroyed in the flames of the fire. The little girl then broke down in tears. She had lost her family, her village, everything. She was completely alone.

As she continued to cry alone, suddenly, she heard shuffling in the tall grass and saw something moving. With a small gasp, she quickly hid behind one of the trees. It kept getting closer and closer, and once it reached the end of the grass, out popped a mandrill. The young girl looked on with fear and curiosity as the mandrill walked closer.

As the creature came closer and closer, she noticed that it was holding a long stick. It was her father's Bakora! She said as she peered out,

"That's my father's stick!"

The mandrill then held the Bakora out for her to take, but Shani said rejecting the offer,

"No, I can't take it. My Daddy said I'm not suppose to have it until I'm old enough to-"

She paused for a moment and said with a sad sigh,

"It doesn't matter anyway. I lost my village, I lost my Mommy and Daddy. I lost everything!"

And Shani continued to cry once more. But suddenly, she heard the mandrill say in an old masculine voice say,

"Oh? Well I wouldn't say that, little one. You're parents aren't gone. For you see, they live in you."

Shani asked with confusion, trying to face him, "Huh?"

But suddenly, the mandrill was gone! The young girl kept looking around but the creature was out of sight. But soon however, she heard more rustling in the tall grass. She hid behind the tree once more to see two African officers come running towards her. One of them shouts,

"Hello! Excuse me!"

Little Shani gasps and hides further behind the tree. The second officer says to try to calm her,

"Oh, no! No! No! It's okay, little one. Come, we won't hurt you."

A little hesitant, Shani walks out from behind the tree to face the two officers. One of them bends down to her level and asks,

"Sweetheart, are you all alone?"

Shani answers with a nod, "Yes."

The other asks, "Where are your mother and father?"

Shani answers with tears falling from her eyes, "They're gone. A-A lion came, a-and killed them!"

The first officer said to try to calm her down, "There, there, there. Now, I'm really sorry about what happened to your family."

The second officer asked, "Do you have any other family members that can look after you?"

Shani answered, "Well, I have an auntie that lives in another village."

The officers nodded in response, and the first one asks, "What is your name?"

The young girl answered shyly,

"I-I am, Shani."


	2. Chapter 1: Trials & Tribulations

_**Chapter 1: Trials and Tribulations**_

10 years later...

"Shani! You lazy girl! Get out here!"

Shouted Shani's aunt, Bolah. She was a middle aged woman who was wearing a short sleeved orange dress with a black ribbon around her waist, an apron with patches on it, and small shoes with laces.

"Coming, Aunt Bolah!"

Shouted Shani, coming out of the small house. She was now at the age of sixteen and had grown into a beautiful young woman with long, curly black hair, purple eyes, and a red Hindu dot on her forehead. She was wearing a yellow dress with rolled up sleeves, an apron with patches on it, an anklet on her left ankle, a giant hoop earring on her left ear, and her mother's necklace.

Bolah asked her with a glare, "Why weren't you out here already?"

Shani answered wiping the sweat off of her forehead,

"Because I was sweeping the floors, cleaning the dishes, and dusting off the blankets like you told me."

Bolah then ordered while throwing a pile of laundry to Shani, making her stumble a little,

"And now, I need you to wash all these dirty clothes until they're spotless!"

Shani said with a sigh, "Yes, Aunt Bolah."

And she walked the huge pile of clothes over to washing tub full of water and soap, grabbed a washboard, placed it into the tub, and started scrubbing the dirty clothes.

While Shani continued to scrub the dirty clothes, Bolah looked at her and said with disgust,

"I can't stand those purple eyes of yours! Only freaks would have eyes like that!"

Shani said with hurt in her eyes, "My mother had eyes like that."

Bolah said with even more disgust,

"Your mother! Oh, how I despised that woman. I did everything I could to protect my poor brother from that Gypsy witch! But he was blinded by her sorcery and treachery, and was too foolish to listen. And look what's become of it! He's dead and he and that sorceress left me with another little witch to look after!"

Bolah continued to say as she leaned in close to Shani's ear,

"You're just like your mother, and you'll never be anything more than an undeserving, treacherous little witch!"

Shani bit her lip and turned away from her. She wanted so badly to stand up to her Aunt Bolah and tell her who the real witch was. But she couldn't, out of fear that she would get another merciless beating.

As she continued scrubbing the dirty laundry, Bolah ordered,

"And when you're done with the clothes, I need you to hang them up and go pick some more mangos for me. Is that clear?"

Shani said with a nod, "Yes, mam."

With that, Bolah walked back into the house, leaving Shani alone to work.

After about a few more minutes, Shani finished washing the clothes and started hanging them up on a clothing wire with pins, trying to forget about what her aunt said. She said with a sigh as she finished pinning up the soggy clothes,

"Oh, I wish I could leave this place. And When that day comes, I'll know where I'm meant to be. I'll finally be home."

She said looking towards the horizon, "Yeah, that'll be the day."

Putting that thought aside, she left the house to go get mangos. While walking to the mango tree, she said hello to a few fellow villagers and started singing a tune;

 _Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya_  
 _Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya_  
 _Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya_  
 _Oh Lord, kumbaya_

While this was going on, a young village man was watching her in a rather curious way. He was a handsome young African man wearing a red shirt with rolled up sleeves, brown below the knee pants, and a brown belt wrapped around his waist.

Shani continued to hum that song as she walked closer to the mango tree. It was a tall tree, and it was filled with many branches and mangos. As Shani continued eyeing the tree with determination, the boy watching her came up to her and asked, holding a fruit picker stick.

"So, you're picking some mangos?"

Shani looked back and said with a raised brow, "Um, yeah. I'm picking them for my aunt."

And started climbing up the big tree. The boy asked her with a raised brow while raising up his stick,

"You know, you could easily pick them with this."

Shani said as climbed the branches, "Thanks, but I prefer this way a lot better."

The boy said, "Well, I like climbing trees too. But using this would save you a lot of time."

Shani said reaching the highest branch, "Yes, that maybe true. But doing it this way is a lot more fun."

As the boy continued to watch her in amazement, Shani asked with a smirk,

"Enjoying the view?"

The boy snapped out of his daze and said, "Oh! I'm just amazed that you're such a good climber."

Shani said with the shrug of her shoulders as she picked a few mangos,

"Well, I've been climbing pretty much all my life. I know this tree like I know the back of my hand."

She then stepped on another branch, only to here it cracking at the bottom of her feet. She gasped out with worry and felt the branch snap, causing her and the mangos to fall, letting out a scream.

Taking quick action, the young man ran over and reached out, catching Shani in his arms. Catching their breathes, the young man said in relief while introducing himself,

"I'm so glad I caught you. My name is, Tamur."

Shani introduced herself with a smile, "I'm Shani."

Tamur nodded with a smile, setting her down. Shani said feeling grateful,

"Thank you for catching my fall."

Tamur said helping her pick up the fallen mangos,

"It's no trouble, really. You know, I've got a basket at my house that you could use to carry these mangos in. Would you like to come with me to go get it?"

Shani answered with a smile, "Sure."

Tamur nodded and said with a smile, "Great!" And with that, they started walking towards Tamur's house to go get the basket.

During their walk, They told each other a bit about themselves. Shani told him about how she lived with her parents in another village and how they were killed by the lion, having to be sent to live with her aunt. Tamur spoke of how his parents died when he was a young boy due to illness, and how he had to be sent to the village to live with his Grandmother. Things were good for them until recent years when his grandmother passed away due to another illness.

Shani asked him, "So, you live by yourself?"

Tamur answered, "Yes. I use to live with my grandmother, but she passed away about two years ago."

Shani said with a saddened look on her face, "Oh, I'm sorry."

Tamur said, grabbing the basket, "It's okay. At least I know she's in a better place."

Shani said, placing the mangos in the basket, "You know, it must be nice living on your own."

Tamur said shrugging his shoulders, "Well, I wouldn't say that. It gets kinda lonely sometimes."

Shani said grabbing the basket,

"At least you don't have to deal with an aunt that constantly berates and insults you and your family from day to day, beating you if you do something wrong."

Tamur asked with shock, "You're aunt beats you?"

Shani answered as they walked out the door, "Yes. Do you know what that's like? someone insulting and beating you because you're different?"

Tamur explained with a sad sigh,

"Yes. Pretty much my whole life, people made fun of me because of how sensitive I am to other people. Other boys often bullied me for the sound of my voice, and would beat me, calling me a girl and saying I wasn't man enough."

Shani admitted, "My aunt called me a freak because of the color of my eyes."

Tamur said shaking his head, "She's wrong. I think your eyes are beautiful, and I really like how they're unique. They suit you."

Shani blushed and said with a smile, "Thank you, and I think your voice is beautiful too. It suits you."

The two looked to each other with warm smiles. Chemistry was starting to build between the two, as the two continued looking fondly at each other and started inching towards one another.

Before they could get closer to each other, however, out came an angered Bolah! She shouted,

"You lazy girl! What do you think you're doing?!"

Shani stammered, "Aunt Bolah! I-I was just-"

She was immediately cut off when Bolah snapped, "I leave you to go pick mangos, and I find you lollygagging and flirting with some village boy?!"

Shani tried to say, "Aunt Bolah, he was just-"

Bolah snapped while grabbing her by the arm and ripping the basket out of her hands,

"You are coming with me! And you, stay away from her!"

With Bolah's back turned, Shani looked to Tamur and shrugged her shoulders with a look on her face that read _'I'm Sorry'_. Tamur gave her a sympathetic look, and watched as Shani was being dragged away by her mean-spirited aunt.


	3. Chapter 2: Taking a Stand

_**Chapter 2: Taking a Stand**_

As Bolah continued to drag Shani back to the house, the young woman's eyes flashed and she had soon gotten a vision. The vision she had received was of a pregnant lioness trapped in a poacher's trap and the poacher pointing a gun at her, preparing to shoot her!

Fearing for the poor lion, Shani started to struggle against her Aunt's grip.

Bolah snapped at her, trying to keep a hold of her niece, "You little witch! Stop fighting me!"

Once she heard the sounds of a lion's cry, Shani gave out a loud grunt and ripped away from her Aunt's grip, running to the lioness before it was too late. Bolah shouted while trying to run after her,

"Shani! Get back here! Do as I say!"

But Shani didn't bother listening, and continued running towards the cries of the lioness. She ran past the mango tree and towards the tall grassy field a few feet away from the village to see the pregnant lioness hanging in another tree inside of a net. She was a rather tan lioness, with dark ear rims, red eyes, and light-colored paws.

Catching a glimpse of Shani pulling out a dagger, she started crying out louder and struggled even more in the net.

Shani said to try to calm the poor lioness, "Sh-Sh-Shh! It's okay! I'm not here to hurt you."

And the young African woman started using her dagger to cut through the net to free the lioness. As soon as she made a big enough hole, the pregnant lioness jumped out of the net and Shani said,

"You're free now! Go!"

The pregnant lioness catched her breathe and said, "Thank you, my dear."

Shani's eyes widened in shock as she saw the lioness talk to her. She said to herself, looking at her mother's necklace,

"My mother's necklace. I-It really works!"

But she was soon snapped out of her thoughts as she heard big footsteps coming towards her and the pregnant lioness. Taking quick action, she gasped said to the lioness,

"Go! Run and stay hidden!"

The pregnant lioness nodded to her and took off running, hiding within the tall grass. As soon as she was out of sight, out came the poacher. He was a light-skinned man with dark green eyes, black hair tied into a pony tail, and a stubbly beard and mustache. He was wearing an orange shirt with rolled up sleeves, a brown vest, brown gloves, brown pants, black boots, and a belt where he carried a hunting knife and a gun.

He looked to Shani and shouted, "You! You just released my prize! My fortune!"

Shani looked to him and said with anger, "She is not a prize, and she was never yours to begin with!"

He said as he whined, and turned to her with anger,

"I was going to make a fur coat out of her! And sell it for millions of dollars! I could of been rich! But YOU! You took it away from me!"

Soon enough, Aunt Bolah came running to them and asked nervously to the poacher,

"What's going on here?! Is there a problem here sir?"

The poacher asked, "Do you know her?"

Bolah answered in mock politeness, "Why, yes. This troubled girl is my niece."

The poacher said angrily, "Well, she just released my prized lion from my grasp! All my money! My future! IT'S GONE!"

Bolah said lying through her teeth, trying to pull Shani away,

"I apologize to you, sir. For you see, my troubled niece has been in the sun for much too long, and she needs her medicine. So, I'll be taking her home now and we'll be out of your way. Come along, Shani."

Shani argued, "No! Aunt Bolah, I had to help her. He was going to kill a pregnant lioness."

The poacher mocked, "Oh, so this is what it is? A little black girl coming to the rescue of an animal in need?"

Shani asked with a glare, "Excuse me?"

The poacher sneered,

"That's all you black people are ever good for! First you act all friendly toward us, and then when the time comes, you steal right from under our noses!"

Bolah had shocked expression on her face and a small crowd of villagers started coming out of their homes to watch the scene as Shani snapped,

"How dare you! Don't you ever take the name of Africans in vain!"

The poacher shouted, "You stole my property!"

Shani fired back,

"You mistreat this poor lion and her baby, the same way you mistreat my people! You speak of wanting justice, yet you are cruel to living things that are most in need of your help! It's because of people like you that animals in Africa are becoming endangered!"

The poacher snapped, "SILENCE!"

Shani shouted in anger, "JUSTICE!"

Both the poacher, Bolah, and the crowd of villagers looked back in shock as Shani stood her ground.

Bolah said nervously while trying to drag Shani away,

"Shani, that's enough. Now, apologize to this man for costing him his money."

But instead of an apology, Shani spat directly in the face of the poacher.

Bolah and the villagers gasped in shock seeing the young woman defend herself. Seeing the look of anger on the poacher's face, Bolah said nervously, grabbing Shani and pulling her away,

"Okay well, we'll just be on our way. I apologize to you again, sir. Have a good day!"

And with that, Bolah dragged Shani back to the house as everyone else in the village looked on in concern. Once they got back into the house, Bolah shoved her inside, knocking her to the ground and shouted with anger,

"You little treacherous witch! You embarrassed me in front of that man! In front of the entire village!"

Shani asked with shock and anger, "I embarrassed you?!"

Bolah said, continuing to berate her,

"I was right about you! You are just like your mother! And your father was such a fool! I let those two win, and look what's become of it! They're both dead and they left me a sorry excuse of a woman to take in?! How could they do this to me?!"

With the rage building up inside of her, Shani finally snapped,

"Aunt Bolah! SHUT UP!"

Stunned, Bolah stopped for a moment, and asked in anger, "What did you just say?"

Having had enough of her abuse, Shani shouted to her with anger,

"You heard me! I am sick and tired of you treating me like dirt! Day to day! Constantly berating me, and beating me if I do anything wrong! And what's worse? You insulting my parent's name like they're nothing!"

Bolah argued, "They are nothing! You're nothing!"

Shani fired back,

"No! You were wrong about my parents, Bolah! You were wrong about me! I'm not taking this anymore! I am not going to stand here and listen to you talk bad about me and my family!"

She then said, coming close to her Aunt Bolah,

"My mother's no witch, Bolah. YOU ARE! She loved me, and cared for me like any other mother should. And the love that she had for my father was a true love that _you_ could never understand. My parents were right in kicking you out of the tribe! They didn't want me surrounded by a MONSTER LIKE YOU!"

Enraged, Bolah slapped Shani hard in face, knocking her to the ground while shouting,

"SHUT UP! YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT!"

Shani looked up in shock as she covered her cheek. Bolah then shouted to her,

"I let you live in my house! I let you sleep in a bed! I took you in when no one else would, and this is how you thank me?! I don't need you! If you don't like it here, then why don't you leave?!"

With emotions running high, Shani turned from her aunt and ran into her room. Slamming the door shut, she ran towards her bed and broke down in tears. After many years of physical and emotional abuse, she had finally stood up for herself. She had stood up for her family. She didn't want to stay here any longer, especially with that monster she calls an aunt. After sobbing for quite a while, Shani sat up from her bed and said with tears falling down her face,

"You know what? For once, my Aunt Bolah is right. What am I doing here? This isn't my home. This isn't where I belong. I was destined for better things than this. For years, I've been doing all I could to survive my Aunt Bolah, dreaming that someday, I could leave this place and go back to my real home, and rebuild it into what it was. And perhaps, find my place in the circle of life."

She then said with determination,

"Well, no more. As soon as tomorrow hits... I'm going home."


	4. Chapter 3: Leaving The Village

_**Chapter 3: Leaving The Village**_

As soon as the early morning hit, Shani had already packed up her supplies and walked out of her Aunt Bolah's house. It was raining outside, and the young African-Romani woman was dressed in different clothes so no one would recognize her.

She was wearing a yellow dress with longer sleeves, a small yellow poncho, a tan colored cloak, a small belt wrapped around her waist, a golden bangle around her left wrist with two bracelets, two bracelets on her right wrist, an anklet on her left ankle, two hoop earrings, a circlet with a red Hindu dot on her forehead, along with her mother's necklace.

She had left a note for Tamur in his home hours before, but said no goodbyes to him or her aunt. As she walked towards the tall grass, she gave out a heavy sigh and said looking towards the horizon,

"Well, this is it."

Shani looked back at her aunt's house, starting to have second thoughts about leaving. But soon however, her doubts were overshadowed by her willing desire to return to her real home.

She said to herself with determination, "I really am going home, to where I truly belong."

Shani began to sing as she imagined what her home would be like;

 _When I think of home_  
 _I think of a place where there's_  
 _Love overflowing_

 _I wish I was home,_  
 _I wish I was back there,_  
 _With the things I've been knowing_

Shani continued to sing as the wind blew against the tall grass and the rain fall turned into sprinkles, making everything in the fields of Africa look so beautiful;

 _Wind that makes the tall grass bend into leaning,_  
 _And suddenly, raindrops that fall_  
 _they have a meaning_  
 _Sprinkling the scene, makes it all so clean_

 _And maybe that is a chance,_  
 _For me to go back_  
 _Now that I, I have some direction_  
 _And sure it would be nice to be back home,_  
 _Where there's love and affection._

Shani continued to sing as the rain stopped, getting the attention of some birds while the wind blew against the trees;

 _And just maybe I can convince time_  
 _To slow up!_  
 _Giving me enough time in my life,_  
 _To grow up_  
 _Time please, stay my friend._  
 _And let me start again_

She continued to sing as she started walking into the direction of the Savannah while spinning around, enjoying her new surroundings;

 _Suddenly, my world's gone_  
 _And changed it's face_  
 _But I know!_  
 _I know where I'm going_

 _I have had my mind_  
 _Spun around and around_  
 _In space_  
 _Yet I watched_  
 _It growing..._

A beam of sunlight shone on the young African-Romani woman, as she prayed to God. She looked back at her aunt's house, and then ran in the opposite direction, standing on a small rock as she sang;

 _I know you're listening God,_  
 _So won't you please try not_  
 _to make it hard?_  
 _To know I shouldn't believe everything,_  
 _Everything that I see_

 _Tell me, should I try and stay?_  
 _Or maybe I should run away!_  
 _Would it be better_  
 _Better_  
 _Better, better just to let things be!_

Shani sang as she took in the new world she was in;

 _Living here in my brand new world,_  
 _It might be a fantasy_  
 _Yes, yeah it could be_  
 _But it taught me to love..._

 _So I know, that it's real!_  
 _It's real!_  
 _It's so real to me!_

She pointed to her heart, and a rainbow painted over the land. Shani then spun around, and jumped on top of a big boulder as she finally sang;

 _And I've learned,_  
 _That we must look inside to find_  
 _Yeah we gotta find,_

 _A world full of love!_  
 _Like yours, Like mine-_  
 _Like Home!_  
 _Home..._

Shani soon left her aunt's village and started wandering off in the Savannah. It turned out that looking for her old village was a lot harder than she thought it would've been. In one instance she was going north, then she would be going south, and she would even be going around in circles. After a few hours, she managed to find the Savannah, but still couldn't find her village.

Shani said to herself while looking at her compass, "That's odd, I could've sworn I've gone in this direction already."

She looked at her compass as it pointed towards north.

She sighed in frustration and said, "I actually thought it would be easy to find the village, but boy was I wrong."

Shani then sat down underneath a tree and pulled out a canteen, taking a sip of the cool water. She took a deep breathe and asked herself,

"Now how am I going to find my way home?"

Suddenly, she heard some rustling within the tree above her. The young woman looked up to see the very same mandrill that she met years ago as a child, jumping around and swinging in the trees.

Shocked, Shani said, "Hey, you're that monkey that I saw all those years ago!"

The old mandrill nodded with a grin and continued swinging from the tree branches. Shani looked closer to see that he was holding her father's bakora staff, and she asked while pointing to it,

"My father's bakora staff! Y-You kept it?"

The old mandrill nodded in response. Shani looked down at her mother's necklace and asked,

"And, you understand what I'm saying and I can understand what you say?"

The mandrill nodded and said with a smile, "Bye!"

And the old mandrill jumped from the tree and ran off.

Shocked, and not wanting him to leave, Shani shouted, "Hey! Hey come back!"

And the young woman took off after him, chasing him throughout the Savannah.


	5. Chapter 4: Hyena Chase & Meet The King

_**Chapter 4: Hyena Chase and Meeting The King**_

As Shani continued to chase the old mandrill, she soon came across a waterhole and discovered that the old mandrill was gone! The young woman looked around but the old mandrill was out of sight. She sighed in disappointment and was about to turn around, but soon heard a growl. She looked back and gasped in fear as she saw three hyenas growling at her, licking their chops! Two of them looked ferocious while the other one looked stupid.

Shani nervously took a few steps back to see them advancing towards her. Thinking fast, Shani pulled a smoke bomb out of her bag and threw it down to the ground, causing it to explode into a smoke cloud right as one of the hyenas was about to jump at her. While the hyenas were distracted and coughing, Shani took the chance to run.

As she was running, she looked behind her to see the hyenas chasing after her. She screamed out with worry and continued running as fast as she could. Unbeknownst to her, there was someone else watching her and started running to keep up with the chase. Shani ended up running into a gorge to try to throw the hyenas off course, but was soon caught in a dead end. Catching her breathe, Shani looked back and gasped as she saw the hyenas lurking towards her.

With quick action, Shani pulled a spear out of her bag and pointed it at the hyenas, making them back away a little.

Shani shouted as she kept jabbing her spear at the growling hyenas, "Get back! Back!"

But soon enough, the stupid male hyena grabbed the end of the spear and snapped it, breaking it with his teeth. Shani gasped with worry and the female hyena jumped at her, knocking her to the ground and grabbing her by the end of her poncho. As Shani tugged at her poncho to try to free herself, she noticed the other male hyena lurking towards her. Shani screamed in fear and she hid her face into the ground, preparing herself for the worst as the hyena jumped out at her, ready to go in for the kill!

Suddenly, however, the hyena was knocked away by a mighty lion with golden fur and a red mane. Shani looked on in astonishment as the lion roared at the three hyenas, making them back up a little. The lion stood protectively over the young woman as the hyenas got ready to fight back. He then pounced at the three hyenas and attacked!

He gave them a few swipes and tussled with them a few times. He then stood over them gave out an all mighty roar, scaring off the hyenas. The hyenas then whimpered in fear and took off running.

With the hyenas gone, Shani stood up on her feet and the lion turned his attention back to the human girl. Shani gasped in fear as the lion started walking towards her. She backed up into a wall as the lion continued walking towards her. As the lion had gotten closer and closer to her, Shani looked away in fear, bracing herself for the worst.

That was until, she heard the lion say in a deep, powerful voice,

"Take it easy, young human."

Shani looked back at the lion in astonishment and said, "Huh?"

The lion said, "Take it easy, I'm not going to hurt you."

Shani asked in shock, "Wait, you can understand what I say?"

The lion answered with a nod, "Yes, just as you can understand me."

Shani nodded in understanding yet in amazement, and asked, "So, you're not going to hurt me?"

The lion answered, "How could I? After what you've done to save my queen."

Shani asked in confusion, "Your queen?"

The lion explained, "While she was on a small walk, she was caught in a poacher's trap. As soon as I heard her cries, I raced over to try to help her. But as I got closer to the village, I saw that she had been freed. When I asked her what happened, she told me that she was freed by a human girl with purple eyes."

He continued to say while looking at the girl closely, "And judging by your eyes, I can tell that you were the one that freed her."

Shani said while shrugging her shoulders, "Well, how could I not? She was with child, and I couldn't bare the thought of her and her baby being killed by a poacher for money."

The lion nodded and said, "Well either way, I thank you for saving her and our child's life."

Shani nodded with a smile, "And I thank you for saving mine."

The lion said while introducing himself, "You're welcome. You know, I don't think we've introduced each other properly. I'm Mufasa, king of the Pridelands. And you are?"

Shani introduced herself while kneeling down and bowing her head down,

"I'm Shani, you highness."

Mufasa smiled and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Shani."

Shani nodded in response with a smile.

Mufasa then asked her, "So tell me, why are you out here by yourself."

Shani explained,

"Well, I was trying to find my old village. You see, my father and mother were the village chief and chieftress, but they were killed by a lion when I was six years old. After that, I was sent to live with my aunt in another village, but she physically and emotionally abused. After rescuing your wife and facing many years of abuse, I left my aunt's village to try to find my old village and rebuild it into what it was, but I got lost in the Savannah."

Mufasa asked with concern, "And, you have no where else to go?"

Shani answered, shaking her head, "At this point, not really. I'm lost."

Mufasa thought to himself for a moment, wondering what to do with the human girl he just rescued. After a moment of thinking, he looked to Shani and said,

"Shani, you are more than welcome to stay with me and my pride in our home, Pride Rock."

Shani asked in surprise, "Really? You mean it?"

Mufasa answered, "Of course, after what you've done to save my queen and child, you're more than welcome to. And you would be safe there from any other predator that might try to stalk or kill you."

Shani said feeling grateful, "Wow, t-thank you, your highness. I'm truly grateful for your offer and protection."

Mufasa said with a smile, "You're welcome, and there's no need for you to be formal, Shani. We are among friends now."

Shani smiled in response with the lion king smiling back at her. Mufasa looked towards the sky to see the sun starting to set, and looked back to his human friend, saying in a serious tone,

"Come, the sun's starting to set. We should be heading back to Pride Rock."

Shani nodded and said, "Okay, lead the way, Mufasa."

The lion king nodded with a smile, and with that, Mufasa and Shani started walking towards Pride Rock.


	6. Chapter 5: Coming To Pride Rock

**_Chapter 5: Coming to Pride Rock & Meeting The Pride_**

After a few minutes of walking through the Pridelands, Mufasa said to Shani as they finally arrived at the king's home,

"Shani, this is Pride Rock, home of the lions. Welcome."

The young woman looked up in awe to see such a beautiful gigantic mountain-like rock that rested in the middle of the Savannah with a few lionesses resting on top of it. Amazed, Shani said to herself,

"Wow! This place is amazing!"

As the two started climbing up the gigantic rock, Shani noticed a few of the lionesses looking over the rock and staring at her with amazement and curiosity. While she continued to climb up the rock, the young woman overheard some of the lionesses murmur,

"It's a human! What's she doing here? Isn't that the human girl that saved Sarabi?"

Once She and Mufasa made it to the foundation of the rock, they were approached by a red-billed hornbill that came flying towards Pride Rock. Once the bird made his way towards them, he said,

"Sire, I had been looking all over for you, I noticed some commotion going on in the Savannah. I saw three hyenas chasing a..."

As soon as he caught a glance of the young African woman standing next to the ruling lion, the hornbill gasped and said, hiding behind Mufasa,

"A human! Sire, what is a human girl doing in the Savannah? And in Pride Rock of all places?!"

Mufasa explained, "Zazu, I found her being chased into the gorge and being cornered by three hyenas. But luckily, I came just in time and chased them off before any of them could've done any harm to her."

Shani smiled and introduced herself while bending down to the hornbill's level and kindly holding her arm out for Zazu to land on,

"I'm, Shani. It's very nice to meet you."

Smiling at her kindness, Zazu came out from hiding landed on the girl's arm and proudly introduced himself,

"It's very nice to meet you too, miss. I'm Zazu, the majordomo to King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi."

Mufasa soon said, "Speaking of Sarabi, I'm sure she'd love to meet the brave young woman who saved her from a poacher's trap."

Shani replied back rather timidly, "And I would sure like to see her again, too. If it's possible, of course."

Mufasa reassured her, "Of course it's possible. I'll just go into the lion's den and let her know you're here."

Shani nodded in understanding and allowed Mufasa to go into the lion's den to greet his queen Sarabi. The ruling lion king walked in to see his queen resting in the middle of the lion's den, seemingly holding something small and yellow in her paws. The tan colored lioness looked up with a loving smile as her mate walked up to her and nuzzled her face.

Mufasa asked her, "How are you feeling, Sarabi?"

Sarabi answered with a tired smile, "I'm feeling just fine, my love. Both me, and our cub."

The golden lion looked down into Sarabi's paws to see a small newborn cub resting in them. With a loving smile, Mufasa gave the little cub a lick on the head and it opened it's eyes briefly to look up at it's parents, and then closed it's eyes once more.

Turning his attention back to Sarabi, Mufasa said,

"Sarabi, I had found the human girl from the village that saved you. She was wandering around in the Savannah and was about to be killed by three hyenas, but I managed to come in time to save her before she could be harmed. However, she has nowhere to go now and I had offered her to stay here."

With that, Shani meekly came forward and said, "I am Shani, your highness."

Sarabi looked to her and said kindly, "Come closer, child. I would like to get a better look of you."

Following her order, Shani walked closer to Sarabi and knelt down to the lion queen's level, seeing each other eye to eye. Looking into her purple eyes, Sarabi said to Shani with a warm smile,

"I remember you quite well."

Shani returned the smile and said with a nod, "And I remember you the same."

Sarabi said, expressing her gratitude towards the girl, "Shani, what you have done for me was very kind and brave. For you not only have saved my life, but you have saved our son's life as well. And for that, I will forever be thankful to you."

Shani soon heard a small squeak and looked down to see a small golden newborn cub resting in his mother's paws.

She looked to Sarabi and asked her with amazement, "Is this your son?"

Sarabi answered with a loving smile, "Yes, he was born just last night after Mufasa and I returned from the village. His name is, Simba."

Shani asked, "Simba...Would it be alright if I held him?"

Sarabi answered, "Of course."

And with that, Sarabi picked up little Simba and placed him into Shani's arms. As the young woman continued to hold him and gently stroke him, the tiny newborn cub began to stir, and he opened his eyes and looked up to see who was holding him. Shani looked down to see that he had golden fur, greatly resembling his father, had lightly colored paws, and shared both of his parents red eyes.

With a warm smile, Shani looked down at Simba, saying, "Hello, Simba. My name is, Shani."

The young woman brought her finger close to the young cub's face and playfully waved it in front of his face. Seeing it, little Simba started trying to swat her finger away with his paws giving out tiny squeaks. Giggling at his attempts, Shani gently stroked the small cub's head, saying with a loving smile,

"You're just as brave and tough as your Daddy."

She went on to say as little Simba looked up at her with curiosity,

"Someday, you will grow into a big, strong, mighty lion. And when that time comes, you'll be as great of a king as your father is."

Mufasa warmly smiled at the scene as his son gave out a tiny nod, and fell asleep in Shani's arms. Adoring the tiny cub, Shani gently snuggled with him for a moment, and placed him back into Sarabi's paws.

As he continued to watch the adoring scene, Zazu came up to Mufasa and asked nervously,

"Sire, are you sure that this is a good idea?"

Mufasa asked, "What do you mean, Zazu?"

Zazu answered with a small sigh, "I know that Shani doesn't seem like a threat, but what if something bad happens with her being here? We haven't had any humans in or even near the Pridelands since the reign of King Ahadi and Queen Uru. How do you know that she's the one?"

Mufasa explained, "I have faith in her, Zazu. If she could be able to connect to you and my son, then I know she'll be able to connect to every and any living creature that lives in the Pridelands."

As the two continued to talk, Shani stepped out of the lion's den and looked towards the night sky. She knew that this wasn't her old village, and that she probably wouldn't be able to find it for a while. But that's not what was bothering her. What was truly on her mind was what her true purpose was, and wondered how being here in the Pridelands would help her find her purpose.

She sighed to herself and said, looking up the stars, "This may not be my village, but it is shelter nonetheless. Oh...I wish I could find my true purpose in the circle of life. What is it that I'm truly meant to do?"

As she continued to look up at the stars, Shani turned to see Mufasa coming out of the den and walking towards her, saying,

"It sure is cold outside tonight."

Shani said, nodding in agreement, looking back up at the stars "Yes, it truly is."

Looking to her with concern, Mufasa asked, "Is everything alright, Shani."

Shani said with a nod, "Oh, I'm doing fine. But there is just something that I don't understand here."

Mufasa asked, "What is it?"

The young African woman answered, "My purpose. I'm thankful for you taking me in, truly I am. It's just...How would my being here help me find my true purpose. Where would I stand with you and the Pridelands? In the circle of life? I love all creatures here, but would they accept me?"

Mufasa explained, "Shani, your presence here in the Pridelands is far more important than you could ever know. All of the other creatures that reside here will see that too, they will all see that both humans and animals can live in peace and harmony together. And as for your purpose, you'll find it someday. You just have to give it time."

Shani thought to herself for a moment and said, "I guess you're right. After all, as the saying goes...All good things come to those who wait. And perhaps for now, I'll have to wait for a while to find my true purpose."

Mufasa soon said while looking towards the night sky, "Hmm, It's starting to get late. We should really get some rest...After all, we do have a very big day tomorrow with presenting you and Simba to the rest of the Pridelands."

Shani nodded and said, "Alright, I'll come inside in about a moment."

Mufasa nodded in understanding and walked back inside of the lion's den, leaving Shani alone outside. Once Shani was alone, she looked up towards the starry night sky and said, thinking of her parents,

"Goodnight, Mom and Dad...Wherever you are, I just hope that someday, I'll be able to make the both of you proud."

With a heavy sigh, Shani walked back into the lion's den to join Mufasa, his family, and all of the other lions in a peaceful slumber. Knowing very well that tomorrow would be a very important day for both her, and the newborn prince of Pride Rock, Simba.


	7. Chapter 6: The Circle of Life & Scar

**_Chapter 6: The Circle of Life/Scar/Future Leaders_**

 _ _Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba  
Sithi uhm ingonyama  
Ingonyama__

 _ _Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba  
Sithi uhm ingonyama  
Ingonyama  
Siyo nqoba  
Ingonyama  
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala__

The break of dawn approached, and the sun started to rise. Alerting all of the animals of the Pridelands, they knew the time had come and they all started leaving their homes and headed off towards Pride Rock.

 _ _Ingonyama nengw' enamabala  
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala  
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala  
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala  
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Se to kwa)  
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Asana)  
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Se to kwa)  
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Asana)__

Giraffes, zebras, cape buffalos, elephants, hippos, rhinos, cheetahs, wildebeests, monkeys, antelopes, flamingos, cranes, and many other types of birds flew and traveled through mountains, the sky, the waterfall, the water hole, and hills to come to Pride Rock to see their future king and a supposed future human leader among them.

 _ _From the day we arrive on the planet__  
 _ _And blinking, step into the sun__  
 _ _There's more to see than can ever be seen  
More to do than can ever be done__

 _ _There's far too much to take in here  
More to find than can ever be found  
But the sun rolling high__  
 _ _Through the sapphire sky  
Keeps great and small on the endless round__

As all of the animals gathered towards Pride Rock, Zazu came flying towards Mufasa as the mighty lion stood on the edge of the gigantic rock. The small hornbill landed at the king's feet and gave a bow, with Mufasa giving him a nod and smile in return. The lion king soon turned their attention towards a familiar old mandrill as the buffalos below the rock cleared a path for him and bowed to him in respect.

 _ _It's the Circle of Life  
And it moves us all  
Through despair and hope  
Through faith and love__

The old mandrill nodded to them and walked past them, using the bakora staff as a walking cane. He then climbed up Pride Rock, and once he reached the top, he and the lion king happily embraced each other. Mufasa then turned his attention towards Sarabi and Shani and walked into the lions den to join them.

 _ _Till we find our place  
On the path unwinding  
In the Circle  
The Circle of Life__

The pride of lionesses watched as Mufasa lovingly nuzzled Sarabi. The lion queen then gave a loving lick to the newborn Simba, with the tiny cub looking up as his parents looked down at him with warm smiles and Shani gently petted his head with her finger.

The young African woman noticed the old mandrill come into the lion's den and she said with surprise,

"Hey! It's you again!"

The old mandrill happily smiled at her and said with a small greeting, "Jambo, Shani."

Mufasa said, introducing him, "Shani, this is Rafiki. He is the shaman and Royal Mjuzi of the Pridelands."

Shani said with a smirk and raised brow, "Yes, we've met before...Long ago in my youth."

Rafiki added proudly, "And look how much you've grown since then."

Shani nodded with a smile, and soon asked with curiosity, "Rafiki, if I am to be the future leader of the humans...Then how come I'm the only human standing in the Pridelands?"

Rafiki answered, "The rest of the human tribe will return to the Pridelands one day, but only when you are truly ready to rule among them."

Mufasa explained to Shani, "And until that time comes, you will be living under my guidance and protection as you will learn about the true meaning of the Circle of Life and how to be a true leader amongst the humans as well as accepting the ways that both humans and animals live. But most of all, you will be like a protector to Simba and he will look up to you just the same. Do you understand?"

Shani answered, "Yes, I understand. I am truly honored, Mufasa and I promise I won't let you, Simba, or the rest of the pride down."

Mufasa replied with a smile, "Thank you, Shani."

Shani nodded in agreement and with that, Rafiki began the blessing of the future king and the future leader of the humans. He waved the Bakora staff in front of the young woman as she bowed her head in respect, and waved it in front of Simba as the newborn cub tried to swat at it with a tiny claw. Next, Rafiki cracked a fruit open in half and spread the juice across both Simba and Shani's foreheads. Rafiki then scooped up some dirt and he sprinkled some onto Shani and Simba's head, causing the young woman to close her eyes and scrunch up her nose to keep from getting dirt in them, and causing the newborn cub to sneeze.

Mufasa and Sarabi both smiled down at their cub affectionately as Rafiki took Simba from his mother's paws and looked to Shani, saying,

"Come, Shani."

With that, Shani stood up and joined Rafiki, walking with him towards the edge of Pride Rock as the old mandrill carried little Simba. Once they came towards the edge, Shani stepped forward first, causing all of the animals to look up at her with curiosity and surprise. But as soon as Rafiki stood alongside her, he lifted up the newborn cub and the young woman held out her arms, showing that she came to all of them in peace.

Seeing the newborn cub and how the young woman meant no harm to them, all of the animals cheered. From the elephants, to the antelope, to the monkeys, the zebras, every single animal that stood before Pride Rock cheered for their future king and the young woman that would unite humans and animals in equality.

 _ _It's the Circle of Life  
And it moves us all  
Through despair and hope  
Through faith and love__

The bright sunlight shined down on the three and King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi soon came to join them as the Pridelands had just welcomed their future king and the one that would someday unite all of the humans and animals as a leader.

 _ _Till we find our place  
On the path unwinding  
In the Circle  
The Circle of Life__

*******************

After the presentations have come to an end, below Pride Rock, a mouse scurried from out of a small hole and around of the cave, cleaning it's face. As it was about to run off, suddenly, a giant dark, tan lion's paw, bearing sharp claws came out of nowhere and slammed down onto the tiny mouse. Picking up the mouse by it's tail and hanging it upside down, the lion revealed itself to be a dark lion with a black mane and green eyes, following a scar on his left eye. A brother to Mufasa, the lion was known as Scar.

Scar brought the little mouse close to his face and said rather glumly, "Life's not fair, is it? You see I...Well I, shall never be king. Huh!"

The tiny mouse crawled on top of the dark lion's paws, trying to escape. But Scar managed to catch it and said with a taunting chuckle as he was about to devour the poor little creature,

"And you...Shall never see the light of another day! Adieu."

But before he could eat the tiny mouse, Zazu came in and said to him, "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?"

The dark lion groaned and asked while placing a paw down on the small mouse, "What do you want?"

Zazu announced, "I'm here to announce that King Mufasa is on his way, so you'd better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning."

With the dark lion distracted, the tiny mouse slipped out of his grasp and scurried back into the small hole that it came from. Dismayed, Scar looked back at Zazu and said in a pitiful tone,

"Oh now look, Zazu. You made me lose my lunch."

Zazu scoffed and said, "Ha! You'll lose more than that when the king gets through with you. He's as mad as a hippo with a hernia."

Scar looked down at him and snarled, "Ooh! I quiver with FEAR!"

Zazu started backing away from him and said rather nervously as Scar was slowly lurking towards him,

"Now, Scar! Don't look at me that way!"

And the poor bird started flying away as he cried out, "HELP!"

But unfortunately, Scar had caught him in his mouth and was about to devour him. However, before that could happen, both Mufasa and Shani had shown up and called out to his brother, standing on a taller rock,

"Scar!"

Scar turned to him and replied while Zazu was still in his mouth, "Mmmm-hmm-hmm?"

Mufasa simply ordered to him, "Drop him."

Zazu poked his beak out through scars mouth and said, "Impeccable timing, your majesty."

And with that, Scar spit the bird out, leaving a disgusted Zazu covered in saliva.

Turning to his older brother, Scar said to Mufasa in a rather sarcastic tone, "Why, if it isn't my big brother descending from high to mingle with the commoners."

Mufasa said to Scar with a glare as Shani started climbing down the rock and started walking into the cave to join them,

"Sarabi and I didn't see you at the presentation of Simba and Shani."

Scar said with a mock surprise and guilt, "That was today? Oh, I feel simply awful!"

And he started scratching on the walls, leaving a loud screeching noise and causing Zazu to cringe. He then turned back to the trio as he began to say,

"It must've slipped my mind-"

That was until both he and Shani came into eye contact. Looking into the green and scarred eyes of the dark lion, Shani immediately received a flashback of the day she lost her home and her family to not only a big fire, but a murderous lion. With that one memory coming back to her, she looked back at the dark lion with fear, realizing it was the very same lion that cost her everything.

Coming back to reality, all Shani could muster out in a very stunned yet quiet tone, "You."

With concern, both Mufasa and Zazu looked up at the young woman and the lion king asked, "Shani?"

The dark lion looked back at her with surprise yet rage in his eyes to see the young human standing before him, alive and nearly full grown. However, to keep from letting his darkest secret get out and causing a scene, Scar turned his full attention to her and said with mock kindness while circling around her,

"Oh, so this is the new human that everyone is talking about? Why I must say Mufasa, you sure know how to pick them. Say, where did you pick this one? Out of the filthy dying hole where all humans belong?!"

Shani asked him with a small glare, "So you think all humans are bad?"

Scar sneered, "Oh Shaniyah, I don't think...I know. Just ask the man that gave me this scar in the first place!"

Shani gasped in shock and offence to see that the lion would try to take a stab at her father, someone who meant dearly to her as a child.

Seeing how offended and shocked the young woman was, Mufasa said firmly as he stood protectively alongside Shani,

"Scar, Shani is a member of our pride. And this kind of behavior does not excuse you from missing her and Simba's presentation."

Zazu added as he flew up into Scar's face, "And as slippery as your mind is, as the king's brother, you should've been first in line!"

Scar snapped his teeth at him, causing the poor hornbill to hide behind Mufasa's leg, with the dark lion sneering,

"Oh, I was first in line. Until the little hairball was born and this filthy human showed up!"

Mufasa said, "That hairball is my son, and your future king. And as I've already told you, this filthy human is a member of our pride. She is what will unite humans and animals in equality. You will show her the proper respect and regard her as future leader of the humans."

Scar responded to his brother in a sarcastic way, feigning a curtsy, "Oh, I shall practice my curtsy."

Mufasa growled as Scar started walking away from him, "Don't turn your back on me, Scar!"

Scar looked back at him and said as he continued to walk away, "Oh no, Mufasa. Perhaps _ _you__ shouldn't turn your back on me."

Outraged, Mufasa roared and charged towards Scar, causing Shani to gasp in alarm.

Mufasa snarled at Scar threateningly as he bared his teeth at him, "IS THAT A CHALLENGE?!"

Scar rolled his eyes as he said to the angered king, "Temper, temper. I wouldn't dream of challenging you."

Zazu asked, joining Mufasa's side, "Pity! Why not?"

Scar answered, "Well, as far as brains go, I got the lion's share. But when it comes to brute strength...I'm afraid I am at the shallow end of the gene pool."

And with that, Scar walked away from the small cave, leaving his brother, the hornbill, and the young woman alone. Once he was gone, Mufasa looked back at Shani who was still standing in the cave and asked,

"Shani, are you alright? You seemed really tense when you came in to join us."

Shani answered while she walked out of the cave to join them, "Yes Mufasa, I'm alright. I-I was just feeling a little light headed, that's all."

Mufasa said as he sat down and looked out into the open, "I'm sorry for the way my brother behaved towards you. I do love him, though I admit he can be rather difficult to deal with sometimes."

Zazu said with a sigh, "There's one in every family, sire. Two in mine actually, and they always manage to ruin special occasions."

Mufasa sighed and said, "What am I going to do with him?"

Zazu said with a grin, "He'd make a very handsome throw rug."

Mufasa said while Shani gave a smirk, "Zazu!"

Zazu added, "And just think! Whenever he gets dirty, you can take him out and beat him!"

Both Mufasa and Shani chuckled as they started walking back to Pride Rock.

*******************

That night, there was a huge rainstorm that spread throughout the Pridelands. Shani, the lions, and all of the other animals that resided in the Pridelands were all in their respective shelters and fast asleep. However, there was one certain mandrill that remained awake. Inside of a baobab tree, Rafiki was painting a lion cub and a human girl. Bringing his attention to the lion cub, he held up an open fruit and wiped some of the paste onto the cub's head, saying with a chuckle,

"Simba."

He then turned his attention back to the painting of a human girl, and began painting the hair with darker paste from a different fruit. After that, he took the same paste that he used on the cub's forehead, he wiped some of it on the heart of the human girl, saying,

"Shani, the leader of the humans and equal to all, in the Pridelands."


	8. Chapter 7: Morning Lesson & Report

**_Chapter 7: Morning Lesson/Morning Report/Visit With Scar_**

As time went on, Simba had grown into a healthy young lion cub and Shani had become more accepted within both the pride and the Pridelands. Despite not having a very good relationship with Scar, all of the lionesses including Sarabi treated Shani as if she were of their own kind, and Mufasa had taught her how all the animals live within the Savannah, as well as how to defend both herself and Simba when he wasn't around. So far, life could not be any better for both Shani and the young prince, especially as they were about to learn how to rule the kingdom alongside each other and the ways of the Circle of Life.

One early morning, Simba had ran up to the edge of Pride Rock, looking over to see that the new day was beginning to start. Excited, Simba had ran back inside the lion's den, shouting to his father,

"Dad! Dad! Come on, Dad! We gotta go! Wake up!"

He started jumping over the other lionesses to try to get to his parents and Shani. One of them groaned after he had jumped on them, causing him to quickly say as he continued making his way over to his family,

"Sorry!"

Once he finally made his way over to his parents and Shani, Simba started saying repeatedly, "Dad! Shani! Dad! Shani!"

Shani moaned and buried her face into the bag she used as a pillow as Sarabi said exhaustingly,

"Your son's awake."

Mufasa replied with a groan, "Before sunrise, he's your son."

And he went back to sleep with a couple of snores. Turning his attention to Shani, Simba took a mouthful of her hair in his teeth, and began tugging at her hair to try to wake her up. After giving one hard tug at her hair, Shani exclaimed with a chuckle as she sat up and pulled her hair back,

"OW! Geez, Simba! What's the rush? Today ain't goin' no where."

Simba looked to her and said, "But Shani, today's a big day! Dad's going to show you and me the whole Kingdom."

Shani smiled and said reassuringly, "I know, you're really excited for it. I am too. We'll be able to go soon."

The two were immediately startled however and looked to see the king's snoring rather loudly.

Smirking, Shani looked down at Simba and said to him finishing her sentence, "Just as soon as you can wake up king snores-a-lot."

Turning his attention back to his dad, Simba ran back up to Mufasa and said, "Dad! Dad! Come on, Dad!"

To try to wake him, Simba started tugging on Mufasa's ear, only to be sent flying back into a pile of bones. Getting back up, Simba ran towards his father's face and head-butted him.

Mufasa opened one eye lid and looked to Simba as he shouted with a pout, "You promised!"

Seeing his son pout, Mufasa said, "Okay, okay. I'm up. I'm up."

Excitedly, Simba shouted while running out of the den, "Yeah!"

Shani giggled in response as Mufasa let out a huge yawn and she stood up and stretched alongside him and Sarabi. The young cub had already made his way outside by the time his parents and Shani walked out of the den.

Simba came towards his mother and quickly nuzzled her as she gave her son a playful nudge from behind and lovingly nuzzled Shani's hand as the young woman gently pet her head. The lion queen then sat down with a smile as she watched her mate, son, and the human girl began to walk up to the top of Pride Rock.

The sun had already begun to rise and the sky turned into a lighter blue, pink, orange, and yellow. As the three sat on top of Pride Rock, Mufasa said to them as they watched the sunrise,

"Look, Simba and Shani. Everything the light touches, is our kingdom."

Amazed, Simba said, "Wow!"

Shani said, "Amazing!"

Mufasa continued to say, "A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here. And will rise with you as the new king and Shani, as the new leader of the humans."

Simba asked, "And this will all be ours?"

Mufasa answered simply, "Everything."

Amazed, Simba exclaimed, "Woah!"

Shani walked towards the right side of the rock and looked out towards a dark area that bared no light and asked while observing it,

"Hmm, everything the light touches. What about that shadowy place over there, Mufasa?"

Mufasa answered coming towards her and Simba, "That's beyond our borders. You and Simba must never go there."

Simba argued, "But I thought a king could do whatever he wants."

Mufasa smiled and said as he began to walk away with Shani following him, "Oh, there's more to being king than getting your way all the time."

Simba asked with curiosity as he followed behind them, "There's more?"

Mufasa chuckled at his son, saying, "Simba!"

Shani chimed in with a grin as they left Pride Rock and started walking towards the Savannah,

"Of course there's more to being a king. Being a ruler takes a lot of responsibility Simba, but it involves not just having respect for yourself, but for those around you."

Mufasa nodded in agreement and explained as they walked through the Savannah, observing a herd of leaping antelope and the ants,

"She's right, Simba. Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As King, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope."

Confused, Simba asked, "But Dad, don't we eat the antelope?"

Mufasa explained, "Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass and the antelope eat the grass. And so, we are all connected in the great Circle of Life."

In that moment, Zazu came flying towards them and happily greeted them while landing on a rock,

"Good morning, Sire! Ah, good morning, Shani!"

Mufasa greeted happily, "Good morning, Zazu!"

Shani greeted with a grin, "Good morning to you too, Zazu!"

Zazu said with a salute, "Checking in with the morning report!"

Mufasa replied with a nod, "Fire away."

Zazu began his report with a song as Simba spotted a gopher peeping out of a dirt hole and tried to catch it, only for it to pop back into the hole;

 _ _Chimps are going ape, giraffes remain above it all  
Elephants remember, though just what I can't recall__  
 _ _Crocodiles are snapping up fresh offers from the bank  
Showed interest in my nest egg but I quickly said "No thanks!"  
We haven't paid the hornbills and the vultures have a hunch  
Not everyone invited will be coming back from lunch__

Zazu chuckled nervously and kept going as Simba kept attempting to catch the gopher repeatedly through many different dirt holes. Shani noticed what was going on, and turned her attention to the young cub and watched him with amusement on her face;

 _ _This is the morning report  
Gives you the long and the short  
Every grunt, roar and snort  
Not a tale I distort  
On the morning report__

Both Mufasa and Shani looked to see Simba jumping towards a rock to try to catch the gopher, only for the gopher to dodge the lion cub and having his head collide with the rock.

With concern, Shani asked coming towards him, "Are you alright, Simba?"

Simba answered rather dizzily, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Mufasa asked him, "What are you doing, son?"

Simba answered while rubbing his head, "Pouncing."

Mufasa said with a sly look on his face, "Let an old pro show you two how it's done."

Zazu, completely unaware of what was going on, continued singing;

 _ _Oh, the buffalo have got a beef about this season's grass  
Warthogs have been thwarted in attempts to save their gas  
Flamingos in the pink are chasing secretary birds__

While Zazu was still distracted, Mufasa whispered as he lowered Simba's back, "Stay low to the ground."

Shani grabbed a spear from behind and crouched very low to the ground while Simba whispered,

"Yeah, okay. Stay low to the ground, right!"

Mufasa hushed him and said as both Simba and Shani grew more determined, "Shh, not a sound."

Zazu continued to sing;

 _ _Saffron is the season's color seen in all the herds  
Moving down the rank and file to near the bottom of the rung  
Far too many beetles are quite frankly in the dung!__

Mufasa advised as Simba and Shani crept up on Zazu, "Take it slow."

Both Simba and Shani looked to each other and back at Zazu with sly grins as Mufasa finally said, "One more step, then..."

And as Zazu had finished singing his last line, Shani used her spear as a pole vault to jump alongside Simba as they both pounced onto Zazu as the poor hornbill shouted,

"Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrkkkkkkkk!"

Mufasa laughed in amusement as the two had succeeded in pouncing on Zazu, and Simba began to sing as he blocked the hornbill from walking away;

 _ _This is the morning report  
Gives you the long and the short__

Zazu tried to walk in the other direction, but was blocked by Shani and Simba and the young woman sang as he tried to escape them;

 _ _Every grunt, roar and snort  
Not a tale I distort__

As the hornbill tried to make a run for it, Simba grabbed him by his tail feathers was dragged around in the dirt as Zazu tried to fly away while the lion cub and Shani both sang;

 _ _On the morning report!__

Zazu then tried pecking on top of Simba's head to try to release himself, only for the poor hornbill to get flung around and thrown towards more rocks. Shani then took a bow for her singing as Mufasa continued to laugh, saying,

"That's very good! And great singing, Shani!"

Shani said with a grin, "Thanks!"

As Zazu was still lying on the ground, the Gopher popped back up towards him and said, "Zazu, sir!"

Zazu replied in annoyance, "Yes?"

The Gopher announced, "Sir! News from the underground!"

Right as Mufasa was about to say to both Simba and Shani, "Now, this time-"

However, Zazu interrupted and announced in panic, "Sire! Hyenas in the Pridelands!"

Shani held a look of worry as Mufasa sprung into action, saying to Zazu, "Zazu, take Simba and Shani home."

Simba ran towards his father and asked with a whine, "Aww, Dad! Can I come?"

Mufasa shook and said to him and Shani, "No, son. Shani, keep an eye on Simba until I get back."

The young woman replied with a nod, "Yes, Mufasa."

And with that, Mufasa took off to deal with the hyenas while Simba walked back towards Zazu and Shani and complained,

"I never get to go anywhere."

Zazu said as he started flying above Simba and Shani as they started walking back to Pride Rock,

"Oh, young master. One day you will be king, then you can chase those slobbery, mangy, stupid poachers from dawn until dusk."

The lion cub looked up at Shani and said, "It's not fair! How come you always get to go to more places than me?"

The young woman explained to him, "Hey, come on now, Simba. I have my own fair share of limits as well, especially when it comes to hyenas. In fact, they were the very things that almost got me killed. But luckily, your Dad saved my life and I was able to come live with you and your family."

As soon as they got closer to Pride Rock, Simba asked Shani, "Hey Shani, I'm gonna go visit my Uncle Scar. Do you wanna come?"

Feeling uneasy from her history with Scar, and with what happened from the last time she saw him, she said shaking her head,

"Umm...I-I can't."

Simba asked curiously, "Why not?"

Shani answered feeling agitated, "I just can't! Besides, I have to go sharpen my weapons."

As Simba was about to walk away sadly, Shani said reassuringly, "But hey! I'll be hanging out right by your Mom, and after you're done with your visit we can hang out. Okay?"

With a smile and nod, Simba said, "Okay! I'll see ya later, Shani!"

Shani smiled and replied, "I'll see ya later."

*******************

Scar was prowling along the side edge of Pride Rock, and flicked an animal's bone off of the ledge. He stopped and looked to see his nephew come running towards him as Simba shouted with enthusiasm,

"Hey, Uncle Scar! Guess what?"

Scar rolled his eyes and said with a groan, "I despise guessing games."

Simba said, "I'm gonna be king of Pride Rock!"

Scar said rather sarcastically, "Oh, goody..."

Simba said with a prideful laugh while running towards the edge, "My Dad just showed me and Shani the whole kingdom! And I'm gonna rule it all!"

Scar sighed while falling on his side, "Yes, well forgive me for not leaping with joy. Bad back, you know?"

Simba ran back towards his uncle and asked while resting on Scar's mane,

"Hey, Uncle Scar? When I'm king and Shani's the leader of the humans, what'll that make you?"

Scar answered sarcastically, "A monkey's uncle."

Simba chuckled and rolled off of his uncle's mane, saying, "You're so weird."

Scar replied, "You have no idea. So, you and the human girl seem very close."

Simba answered, "Yeah! Shani and I are great friends. She's really funny, and she even learned how to pounce with me and taught me how to climb trees."

Scar said, "Yes well, if I were you Simba, I'd be really careful around her."

Simba asked, "Why?"

Scar answered, "Because, even if she does seem nice, I really wouldn't spare my time on her. For you see, creatures of __her__ kind are born to be savages and will kill any other animal that sets foot in their direction."

Simba frowned and said, "Well, Shani wouldn't. She's different."

Scar nodded and said with a small groan, "Well, maybe so. And your father showed you the whole kingdom, did he?"

Simba answered with a grin, "Everything."

Scar asked him, "He didn't show you what's beyond that rise of the northern border?"

Simba answered as he sat down, "Well, no. He said I can't go there, not even Shani's allowed to go there."

Scar said, "And he's absolutely right, far too dangerous! Only the bravest lions and humans go there."

Simba asked him, "Well I'm brave. What's our there?"

Scar said turning away from him, "Oh, I'm sorry, Simba. I just can't tell you."

Simba asked with a pout, "Why not?"

Scar answered while placing a paw on top of Simba's head, "Simba, Simba, I'm only looking out for the well-being of my favorite nephew."

Simba smirked and said, "Yeah, right. I'm your only nephew."

Scar said with a fake smile, "All the more reason for me to be protective. An elephant graveyard is no place for a young prince or a human girl. Oops!"

Scar placed a paw over his mouth and gasped with fake shock as Simba said with amazement, "An elephant what? Whoa!"

Scar said, trying to act dramatic, "Oh, dear! I've said too much! Well, I suppose you would've found out sooner or later, with you being so clever and all."

He then pulled Simba close to him and nuzzled him, "Oh, just do me one favor. Promise me you'll never visit that dreadful place."

Simba said with a smirk, "No problem."

Scar said with a smile while gently shooing him away, "There's a good lad. Now, you run along and have fun. And remember, it's our little secret."

And with that, Simba happily ran off while evilly grinned to himself, knowing that he had just set an evil plan of his into motion.


	9. Chapter 8: I Just Can't Wait To Be King!

_**_Chapter 8: I Just Can't Wait To Be King!_**_

After meeting with his uncle Scar, Simba ran down a hill past other lionesses from the pride to meet with his mother Sarabi, Shani, his best friend Nala, and her mother, Sarafina.

Nala was a lion cub that was Simba's age who had cream-colored fur, and bright green eyes looking almost exactly like her mother, Sarafina. Sarabi was resting on top of a rock being in the shade of a tree while Shani was busy using a rock to help sharpen the point of her spear as Simba came running towards them.

Simba said first greeting Shani, "Hi, Shani!"

Shani replied with a smile, "Hi, Simba! Did you have a good chat with your Uncle?"

He replied, "Yeah! I'll tell you about it later."

Shani nodded as Simba looked at her weapon with a raised brow, "How sharp is that supposed to be?"

The young African woman answered as she finished tying the point of the spear to the stich,

"Just sharp enough for me to get mangos from high branches and to protect myself from any threats. Why do you ask?"

The young prince answered nervously, "No reason."

Shani shrugged her shoulders in response and Simba came towards his friend Nala while she was getting licked clean by her mother, greeting her,

"Hey, Nala."

Nala replied with a smile, "Hi, Simba."

Simba whispered to her, "Come on! I just heard about this great place that I wanted to show you and Shani."

Nala said she kept getting licked clean by her mother, "Simba! I'm kinda in the middle of a bath."

Having just woken up, Simba flinched as he heard his mother say, "And it's time for yours."

Simba attempted to make a run for it, but Sarabi grabbed him by the head, placed him in her paws and began licking him clean. the young cub whined as he kept attempting to escape from his mother's grasp,

"MOM!"

He complained as Sarabi started licking the top of his head, causing his hairs to stick up,

"Mom! You're messing up my mane!"

Sarabi smiled down at him in response while Shani just sat there and giggled at the scene.

Simba then climbed out of his mother's paws and asked while smoothing out the top of his head, "Okay! Okay! I'm clean! Can we go now?"

Nala asked, "So where are we going? It better not be any place dumb."

Simba answered, "No! It's really cool."

Sarabi asked with a grin, "So where is this _ _really cool place__?"

Simba turned to her and answered, "Oh...Around the waterhole."

Nala asked with a raised brow, "The waterhole? What's so great about the waterhole?"

Shani added, "Yeah, we've been there thousands of times and so far I haven't seen anything exciting come from it yet."

He turned to Nala and said through his gritted teeth, "I'll show you when we get there!"

Catching on, Nala said, "Oh!"

She then turned to her mother and asked, "Uh, Mom? Can I go with Simba?"

Sarafina looked to Sarabi and asked, "Hmm...What do you think Sarabi?"

Sarabi said with raised brow, "Well..."

The two cubs turned to her and asked with wide grins, "Please!"

Sarabi finally answered, "It's alright with me."

The two cubs cheered with joy as they began to run around excitedly.

Sarabi said to the two cubs, "As long as Shani goes with you."

The two cubs shouted with joy, "Alright!"

Shani said as she gathered her bag and placed her spear behind her back, "I'm down for that!"

As the young woman joined the cubs, Sarabi added, " _ _And__ as long as Zazu goes with you."

The three stopped and Simba exclaimed as he and Nala looked to each other with dismay while Shani looked to them with a raised brow,

"No! Not Zazu!"

the young woman walked behind the two cubs as they started walking on a path towards the waterhole with Zazu leading the way, unknown to what Simba really had in mind. The hornbill said as he flew above the trio,

"Alright, step lively! The sooner we get to the waterhole, the sooner we can leave."

Shani smirked and shook her head in response. As they continued walking, Shani heard Nala ask Simba in a whisper,

"So where we really going?"

Simba answered, "An elephant graveyard."

Nala exclaimed rather excitedly, "Wow!"

Simba warned her through another whisper, "Shh! Zazu!"

Nala replied, "Right! So how are we going to ditch the dodo?"

Overhearing the conversation between the two cubs, Shani started feeling uncomfortable about their little plan. She knew that Mufasa had already told them not to go there earlier, and had a huge feeling that the elephant graveyard wasn't safe. But most of all, she knew that Mufasa would kill her if she let them go down to that dark border or if anything happened to them.

Shaking her head, Shani said with concern, "I really don't think this is good idea, guys."

Simba turned to her and asked, "Why not?"

Shani explained, "Because Simba, your father already said we weren't allowed to go there. And besides, who knows what else is in an elephant graveyard."

Simba asked, "Why should we be worried? After all, we already have you to protect us."

Shani asked with a raised brow, "Really?"

Nala said, "Yeah! You're the bigger and stronger one out of all of us."

Simba added, "You can handle anything that comes our way."

Shani thought to herself for a moment. She was bigger and stronger than Zazu, and she was already trusted with her role in being a protector to Simba. Not to mention, since her encounter with Scar, she has been training herself as well as being trained by Mufasa to better defend herself in the event she is alone or if anything happens to her and Simba. She was more than capable!

After a moment or two of thinking, Shani said through a whisper with confidence,

"You know what? You're right! I am bigger than Zazu, and I have been improving in my training lately. Alright guys, I'll take you to the elephant graveyard. But only for a little bit, understand?"

The two cubs nodded in understanding and Nala asked, "So how are we going to get rid of, Zazu?"

Simba added, "Yeah, he might rat us out! And he'll suck the fun out of everything!"

Shani answered, "I think I might have an idea on how to get rid of him. Now it's a long shot, but it just may work."

They nodded in response and the human girl and the two cubs huddled together to discuss their plan while they continued walking towards the waterhole. Flying above them, Zazu caught a glimpse of Simba and Nala chatting together and said with a smile while flying down towards the two and Shani,

"Oh just look at you two. Little seeds of romance blossoming in the Savannah. You're parents and Shani will be thrilled, what with your being betrothed and all."

Shani looked on in surprise as Simba asked with a raised brow, "Be-what?"

Zazu answered, "Betrothed! Intended. Affianced."

Nala asked rather confusingly, "Meaning?"

Shani answered, "What he means Nala is that someday when you and Simba grow up, you two are going to be married. With Nala being your queen, Simba."

Simba exclaimed in disgust while sticking his tongue out, "Yuck!"

Nala exclaimed while shaking her head, "Ewww!"

Simba looked down at Zazu and said, "I can't marry her! She's my friend!"

Nala added, "Yeah, it'll be so weird."

Shani said with a sympathetic smile, "Oh come on you two, it's not so bad. I know it may seem a little weird now, but someday you might not even same way about each other that you do now."

Zazu added while Simba made fun of him by mouthing to his voice, causing both Nala and Shani to smirk,

"And sorry to burst your bubble! But you two turtledoves have no choice. It's a tradition going back generations."

Simba said with a grin, "Well when I'm king that'll be the first thing to go."

Zazu replied, "Not so long as I'm around."

Simba said walking close to Zazu, "Well in that case you're fired."

Zazu stated with a grin as he poked Simba on the nose, "Nice try, but only the king can do that."

Nala argued, "Well, he's the future king."

With a knowing smirk, Shani chimed in, "And if I remember correctly, the majordomo has to take not only the orders of a king, but also the orders of the human leader."

Simba said while poking Zazu in the chest, "Yeah, so you have to do what we tell you."

Zazu snapped while the three started walking away from him, "Not yet I don't! And with an attitude like that, I'm afraid you both are shaping up to being a very pathetic king and leader indeed!"

Simba said with a mischievous grin, "Hmm, not the way I see it!"

The Savannah turned into vibrant colors as Simba began singing while backing Zazu up into a tree trunk, causing the poor hornbill to and get stuck in one of the small holes;

 _ _I'm gonna be a mighty king  
So enemies, beware__

Zazu replied as he got out of the hole and plucked one of Simba's hairs, "Well, I've never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair."

Simba got a bunch of red leaves to make it look like a mane, shook it off, climbed up to the top of the tree and roared at Zazu, causing the little bird to fly back into a mud puddle as the young cub sang;

 _ _I'm gonna be the main event  
Like no king was before  
I'm brushing up on looking down  
I'm working on my ROAR!__

Zazu said as he got out of the mud puddle and used what seemed like to be a giant leaf as a towel, blowing his nose into it,

"Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing."

He looked up however and realized it was the ear of an elephant, causing the big creature to smack Zazu away with it's trunk. The small hornbill squawked as he had skipped the river like a rock and Simba sang while he and Shani went gliding across the water as a flock of flamingos nearby them all flew away;

 _ _Oh, I just can't wait to be king!__

Zauz said as waddled towards a small river bank as the two cubs and the young woman came on each sides of him,

"You've rather a long way to go, young master. If you think..."

He was interrupted as Simba sang while Nala made a silly face at the bird;

 _ _No one saying, "Do this!"__

Zazu tried to say, "Now when I said that, I-"

But Nala sang while Simba made his own silly face at the bird;

 _ _No one saying, "Be there!"__

Zazu tried to explain, "What I meant was-"

But Shani sang as she wagged her finger at Zazu;

 _ _No one saying, "Stop that!"__

Zazu tried to further explain, "Look, what you don't realize-"

Simba, Nala, and Shani sang as they all made funny faces at him and ran off;

 _ _No one saying, "See here!"__

Zazu shouted as he nearly got run over by two ostriches, "Now see here!"

Simba sang as he and Nala rode on the two ostriches while Shani ran alongside them;

 _ _Free to run around all day__

Zazu said rather dismayed while flying after the bunch, "Well, that's definitely out."

Simba sang with joy;

 _ _Free to do it all my way!__

Zazu did the best he could to keep up with the group as he sang in an attempt to stop them;

 _ _I think it's time that you and I  
Arranged a heart-to-heart__

But he ended up running into the butt of a rhino, with Shani singing while she playfully waved bye to the hornbill as she and the rest of the group ran off in another direction;

 _ _Kings don't need advice  
From little hornbills for a start__

Zazu started riding on a log all the way down a river, and squawked as fell down the waterfall, singing as he flew away from the river to catch up with the trio;

 _ _If this is where the monarchy is headed  
Count me out!  
Out of service, out of Africa!  
I wouldn't hang about!  
This child is getting wildy out of wing__

Simba sang as he, Nala, and Shani walked through a two lines of zebras that were standing regally for them;

 _ _Oh I just can't wait to be king!__

Zazu attempted to walk through the same crowd, only to have the zebras turn around and raise their tails up at him, causing the poor hornbill to crouch down and cover himself in dismay. In the meantime, Simba and Nala started running under a herd of elephants with Shani running alongside them, doing cartwheels and backflips.

Zazu flew below the animals to try to spot the two cubs and human girl, only to have Simba sitting on top of a giraffe's head as he directed the other animals to go in left and right directions, while managing to trample on Zazu in the process. He continued to sing as he lept on each giraffe head, slid down, and stood in the center of a spotlight;

 _ _Everybody look left  
Everybody look right  
Everywhere you look I'm...  
Standing in the spotlight__

Zazu snapped while failing to attempt to get through a giraffe and zebra, "Not yet!"

Simba and Shani whispered their plan to each other, and then to a hippo, giraffe, and monkey. As Zazu began to dust himself off, a bunch of monkeys grabbed him and swung him up into a tree, picking him for bugs while a herd of giraffes swung Simba, Nala, and Shani up in the air;

 _ _Let every creature go for broke and sing  
Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing  
It's gonna be King Simba's finest fling!__

All the animals started to form on top of each other like a pyramid, with Simba, Nala, and Shani riding on top of an ostrich;

 _ _Oh, I just can't wait to be king!  
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!__

The animals started to topple as they all sang with Shani singing the final note;

 _ _Oh I just can't wait...  
Just can't wait!__

 _ _To be king!__

Shani managed to get the two cubs and herself down safely and ran off while the rest of the animal pyramid collapsed with a rhino falling directly on top of Zazu. The poor hornbill shouted through a muffle, calling for the trio,

"I beg your pardon, madam. But GET OFF! SIMBA! NALA! SHANI!"


	10. Chapter 9: The Elephant Graveyard

**_**Chapter 9: The Elephant Graveyard**_**

Simba, Nala, and Shani ran with joy as they had just succeeded in escaping from Zazu and were about to head to the elephant graveyard. They all laughed happily as Simba said with joy,

"Alright! It worked!"

Nala said, "We lost him!"

Shani said with a small laugh, "I knew that would work!"

Simba said with a prideful grin, "I am a genius."

Nala looked to him with a glare and said, "Hey, genius! It was mine and Shani's idea."

Simba bragged, "Yeah, but Shani and I pulled it off."

Nala argued, "With me!"

Simba replied with a smirk, "Oh yeah?"

And the young prince pounced at his friend, but Nala managed to flip him over and shove him down, pinning him to the ground.

Nala said with a giggle, "Pinned ya!"

Simba replied with a groan as he lightly pushed Nala off of him, "Hey! Let me up!"

Shani laughed at the scene as Nala was about to walk away with a prideful look on her face. That was until Simba pounced at her once more and the two rolled down a hill, causing a concerned Shani to gasp and follow after them. After using her dagger to help slide down the steep ledge, she ran down the rest of the hill to see Nala flip Simba over on his back, pinning him down once more.

Nala teased as Simba pouted at her, "Pinned ya again!"

Suddenly however, the three of them gasped in shock and looked to see smoke shooting out of a geyser. Once the smoke cleared up, they realized they had finally reached the elephant graveyard! The two lions cubs and the human girl walked up a small hill which held a massive elephant skull as Simba said,

"This is it. We made it."

Simba and Nala got onto one of the elephant's tusks and Shani knelt down beside them as the two cubs exclaimed in amazement at the sight of all the elephant bones and skeletons,

"Woah!"

Nala said, "It's really creepy."

Simba chimed in, "Yeah, isn't it great?"

Shani nodded in agreement.

Nala then said with a smirk, "We could get in big trouble."

Simba replied with a chuckle, "I know!"

Suddenly, Shani had gotten a vision. The vision that she had received was of her, Simba and Nala being surrounded by three mangy hyenas. Realizing that they might be in danger, Shani said to the cubs nervously,

"Okay, guys! We've seen what it looks like. But now I think it's about time we head back to Pride Rock, before your parents get worried."

Simba argued, "Oh come on, Shani! Why go back now? We just got here."

Nala added as they walked towards the elephant's skull, "And besides, I wonder if its brains are still in there."

Shani said with disgust, "Ugh! Just imagine how gross and creepy that would be."

Simba said as he was about to walk inside the skull, "There's only one way to know. Come on, let's go check it out!"

However, before he could go in, Zazu came out of nowhere and got in their faces, saying as he blocked them and ushered Simba away from the skull,

"Wrong! The only checking out you will do will be to check out of here!"

Simba complained, "Aw man!"

Zazu said with worry, "We're way beyond the boundary of the Pridelands!"

Simba said with a chuckle, "Look! Banana Beak is scared!"

Zazu said as he poked Simba's nose and looked on worryingly, "That's Mr. Banana Beak to you, fuzzy! And right now, we are all in very real danger!"

Seeing Zazu's point, Shani said, "He's right, Simba! I think it's best we leave now before any real danger comes."

Simba replied with a prideful laugh as he walked to the front of the school, "Danger? Ha! I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Suddenly however, everyone heard cackling laughter come from inside of the skull, causing Simba to gasp in alarm and run back to hide behind the group. Taking quick action, Shani grabbed her spear from behind her, stood in front of the cubs and Zazu, and said while pointing her weapon at the supposed threat,

"Get behind me!"

But soon enough, fear and shock started to overtake the young woman as she saw the very same hyenas that attacked her laughing and walking out of the elephant's skull. Not wanting to let them know she was afraid, Shani stood her ground and continued to point her weapon at the mangy hyenas with a glare as the others behind her gasped in fear.

The female hyena said, "Well, well, well, Banzai. What have we got here?"

Banzai replied while asking the third hyena, "Hmm, I don't know, Shenzi. What do you think, Ed?"

Ed replied with a weird laugh and his tongue sticking out.

Banzai sneered as the three of them came close to Simba, Nala, Shani, and Zazu, "Yeah, just what I was thinking. A quartet of trespassers!"

Zazu said with a nervous laugh while he and the others tried to walk away, "And quite by accident, let me assure you. A simple navigational error."

He was stopped however as Shenzi placed her paw down on Zazu's tail feathers, saying while peering close to him,

"Woah, woah, wait, wait, wait... I know you. Your Mufasa's little stooge!"

Zazu replied, "I, madam, am the king's majordomo!"

Banzai said as he and Ed circled around Simba, Nala, and Shani, "And that'll make you..."

Simba answered bravely, "The future king!"

Shenzi asked as she joined in with the hyenas, "Do you know what we do to kings who step out of their kingdom?"

Shani furiously snapped, "You dare touch him or anyone else, I'll kill you all with my bare hands!"

Shenzi said coming close to the African woman, "Well, well, looky here, gents. It's the same purple eyed human that we tried to eat months ago!"

Banzai added, "And we would've had the chance too, baby. If it wasn't for that lousy Mufasa saving your butt!"

Shani fired back as she continued to point the spear at them, "Yeah? Well you all failed that day! And as long as I stand here and breathe, you will not dare to touch me, Simba, or anyone else that stands beside me!"

Ed growled at her in response.

Simba said with a scoff, "Yeah! You can't do anything to us!"

Zazu said with a nervous grin, "Uhh… Technically they can. We are on their land."

Simba argued as Zazu gestured for him to be quiet, "But Zazu, you told me and Shani that they're nothing but slobbery mangy stupid poachers."

Zazu replied to him with a clenched beak, "Ix-nay on the oopid-stay..."

Benzai said with a glare, having overheard the mark, "Who you callin' __oopid-stay__?!"

Zazu said as he and the others tried to make a run for it, "My, my, my. Look at the sun! It's time to go!"

But Shenzi stopped them and said as Shani glared down at her, "What's the hurry? We'd _ _love__ for you to stick around for dinner."

Banzai added, laughing at his own pun, "Yeah! We could have whatever's..."lion" around! Get it? Lion around?"

Shenzi said coming up with her own pun, "Oh wait! Wait! Wait! I got one, I got one. Make mine a "cub" sandwich. Whatcha think?"

And they all started laughing hysterically. Having had enough and growing annoyed of their puns, Shani said as she reached into her bag,

"Alright! Enough talk!"

And she threw down another one of her smoke bombs to the ground, causing it to explode in the hyenas faces and giving Shani, Simba, Nala, and Zazu the chance to run away. While Shenzi and Banzai continued to cough, Ed jumped up and started gesticulating and jabbering, pointing into the left direction. Annoyed with his rambling, Shenzi asked as the smoke cloud started clearing up,

"What, Ed? What is it?"

Banzai looked into the direction that Ed was pointing at and asked, "Hey, did we order this dinner to go?"

Shenzi asked, "No. Why?"

Banzai shouted, "CAUSE THERE IT GOES!"

And they all looked to see Simba, Nala, Shani, and Zazu running away from them. The two cubs, the human girl, and the hornbill ran as fast as they could, passing by skeletons to get away from the hyenas. During midflight, Zazu squawked in alarm after being caught by one of the hyenas. After running for a while, Simba, Nala, and Shani stopped in an open space to catch their breathes, with Nala asking,

"Did we lose 'em?"

Simba answered while still panting, "I think so."

Noticing Zazu's absence, Shani asked, "Hey! have any of you guys seen, Zazu?"

The trio ran around to find the hyenas tormenting Zazu near one of the boilers. Banzai taunted as he grabbed Zazu by the wings, walked him over, and shoved him into one of the boilers, plugging it up,

"The little majordomo bird, hippity-hopped all the way to the birdie-boiler."

Zazu cried out in dismay, "Oh, no! Not the birdie-boiler!"

And the boiler erupted, causing the poor hornbill to scream as he shot off like a rocket, sending him far away from the elephant graveyard. The hyenas laughed hysterically at the scene until Simba shouted to them, standing above them alongside Nala and Shani,

"Hey! Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?"

Shenzi retorted with a glare, "Like... You?"

Quickly regretting his actions, Simba said, "Oops."

Shani cried out to the cubs, "RUN!"

Shenzi proceeded to leap out at the trio, causing Nala to scream and the trio to start running as the hyenas began chasing the cubs and the human girl. They were stopped however as the hyenas poked their heads in front of them through another boiler shouting,

"BOO!"

They all gasped in alarm as the hyenas laughed at them and tried to take a bite at Simba, but failed as he, Nala, and Shani continued to run away from the mangy group. The trio ran up and over a skull with Nala barely escaping a bite from Banzai as they proceeded to slide down the spine of an elephant skeleton. Towards the end, they all screamed as they were all sent flying into a hillside of bones, and began hastily running and climbing up the hill as the hyenas began gaining on them.

As Simba and Shani managed to reach the top, they heard Nala cry out, "Simba! Shani!"

And they looked behind them and gasped in horror to see Nala scream as she was slipping back down the pile towards the hyenas. The two bravely started running back down the hill as Shani cried out with worry,

"Nala!"

Once they reached Nala, Shani quickly took her in her arms and began climbing back up as Shenzi attempted to take a bite at them. But Simba quickly scratched her across the face, drawing blood and causing Shenzi to growl angrily in response.

After they climbed back up to the top, Nala jumped out of Shani's arms as they ran into what appeared to be a dark cave. Trying to find a way out, they climbed up another elephant skeleton that was already decomposing. Using her dagger, Shani attempted to climb up the wall with Simba and Nala. But the old elephant's skin tore beneath them, causing them to fall to the ground.

Looking up, they gasped in alarm to see the hyenas lurking towards them, growling as Benzai taunted with a sinister grin,

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty."

Pulling out her spear from behind her once more, Shani stood in front of Simba and Nala and pointed the weapon at the mangy hyenas. Standing in front of Nala, Simba attempted to roar at them, but only for it to come out as a yowl.

The hyenas laughed as Shenzi said, "That was it? Ha! Do it again... Come on."

Having had enough of their nonsense, Shani gave out a powerful battle cry of her own and used her spear to help her kick Shenzi down as she went after the hyenas. Using the best of her abilities, Shani managed to combat well with the hyenas until Banzai jumped at the young woman, knocking her down.

Simba shouted with worry, "Shani!"

Shani managed to block Banzai with the stick of her spear, as she attempted to push the mangy hyena off of her. As Banzai attempted to bite at her face, suddenly, everyone heard a powerful roar. And they all looked up to see Mufasa come to the rescue as he knocked Banzai away from Shani and began battling it out with the hyenas.

Getting back up, Shani went to go aid Mufasa with her taking on Shenzi and him taking on the other two, while Zazu flew to Simba and Nala's sides as they watched the battle take place. Mufasa took a good few swipes at Banzai and Ed while Shani used her spear as a martial arts stick to combat Shenzi. The battle ended rather quickly however with both the mighty lion and human girl powerfully standing above them as Shani had her spear pointed directly at the hyenas.

On their backs, Shenzi pleaded nervously, "Oh, please! Please! Uncle! Uncle!"

As Banzai complained, "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Mufasa roared at them, causing them to cower, "SILENCE!"

Banzai said nervously, "Oh, we're gonna shut up right now!"

Shenzi added, "Calm down! We're really sorry!"

Mufasa said angrily, "If you ever come near my son and this human girl again..."

Shenzi asked, "Oh, this is... This is your son?! Your human?!"

Banzai asked, "Yours?"

Shenzi looked to Banzai and asked, "Did you know that?"

Banzai stammered, "No... Me? I-I-I didn't know it. No. Did you?"

Shenzi answered, No! of course not.

Banzai added, "No."

The two looked to Ed, asking nervously, "Ed?"

Ed stupidly nodded yes in response, causing Mufasa to roar angrily and Shani to threateningly raise her spear up at them. Shenzi and Ed held each other closely as Banzai said nervously, waving his paw at them,

"Toodles!"

And with that, the three hyenas took off running, whimpering fearfully in the process. Once they were gone, Zazu flew over to Mufasa's side and looked up at him with a prideful grin, only for the lion king to look back down at him with a hard glare, causing the hornbill to shrink back down. Shani placed her weapon behind her back and looked to the king nervously as both Simba and Nala came up to him, with Simba saying,

"Dad, I..."

Mufasa looked to them with a glare and said, "You both deliberately disobeyed me."

Shani bowed her head in shame as Simba again tried to say, "Dad, we're... We're sorry."

But Mufasa ordered to them angrily, "Let's go home."

Both the cubs and Zazu started following behind him, with Shani following behind the cubs as she overheard Nala mutter to Simba,

"I thought you were very brave."

And they all walked out of the cave while unbeknownst to the group, Scar stood on one of the ledges, staring down at them with a silent glare, knowing that his plan to be rid of the cubs and the human girl had failed.


	11. Chapter 10: The Stars & Family Connected

**_**Chapter 10: The Stars and Family Connections**_**

The sun started to set across Africa as an angry Mufasa led the group of Zazu, Simba, Nala, and Shani back to the Pridelands. The two cubs hung their heads down in shame as the young woman looked forward with worry and guilt. She promised Mufasa that she would protect Simba and Nala from any danger that would come to them, and she nearly got them killed because she let her ego get the better of her.

For all she knew, she could get kicked out of the pride, or even fed to the rest of the pride members themselves. However, that's not what really worried her. What truly worried her was the fact that Mufasa was never going to trust her again, especially with Simba or anyone else in the pride. To her, letting Mufasa down was not just letting the king down, but letting her father down.

Since she had joined the pride, Shani looked to Mufasa as not only her king, but as a second father figure. Having not been in a family for so long, she looked to the pride as if they were her family. And felt ashamed of her actions all the more, knowing that she had let them down.

Zazu looked back to the group nervously as Mufasa said finally breaking the silence,

"Zazu!"

The hornbill flew over to him and said to him nervously, "Yes, sire?"

Mufasa said sternly while looking back towards Simba and Shani, "Take Nala home. I've got to teach my son and our human friend a lesson."

Simba crouched lower in the grass to try to hide while both Nala and Shani simply looked down at him. Following his order, Zazu said while flying back towards the two cubs and human girl, saying to Nala,

"Come, Nala."

Nala bowed her head down sadly as the hornbill turned his attention to both Simba and Shani. The human girl knelt down to Zazu's level as he placed his wings onto Simba's shoulders and Shani's hand, saying with a heavy sigh,

"Simba? Shani? Good luck."

And with that, Zazu started flying away with Nala following behind him and looked over her shoulder sadly as both Simba and Shani gave her the same looks in return. As they continued to watch the pair leave, suddenly, they heard Mufasa call sternly,

"Simba! Shani!"

With the both of them flinching, Simba and Shani looked to each other nervously and sadly as the two of them turned to get up and began walking over to Mufasa. As they continued their walk, Shani looked behind her to see Simba's paw land in one of his father's pawprints. He looked down at the giant pawprint, seeing how smaller and younger he was compared to his father and how he would have big shoes to fill someday.

Looking back up, Simba continued to walk towards his father. He made his way towards Shani who was already sitting beside Mufasa with her head bowed in shame, and sat alongside her, doing the same. Soon however, he looked up at his father fearfully.

Still facing away from them, Mufasa slowly turned to them and said, "Simba, I am very disappointed in you and Shani."

Simba replied sadly, "I know."

Mufasa went on to scold them, "You could've been killed! You two deliberately disobeyed me! And what's worse, you put Nala in danger! Shani, what happened? I trusted you in looking after them and you go and put them in danger?!"

Simba tried to say, "Dad, it wasn't her fault. I was the one that-"

Shani cut him off and said, "No, Simba! If anyone deserves to take responsibility here, it's me."

The young woman turned to Mufasa and explained,

"Mufasa, you have every right to be angry with me, and there should be no excuse for what I did. But you trusted me in protecting Simba...It is my duty. If I felt I wasn't capable, I would've never allowed them to go there. And I had been training so well in the last few weeks...That I thought I was capable enough. I thought I could do it."

Mufasa's glare eased down a bit and began to say to the human girl,

"Shani, I never said you weren't capable in protecting my son. And you may have been improving in your training, but what you did was really reckless. You, Simba, and Nala could've been hurt very badly or worse...The elephant graveyard is no place for anyone to be fooling around in, neither animal nor human."

Simba said as he came very close to crying, "W-We were just trying to be brave like you."

Mufasa looked down at his son and explained, "I'm only brave when I have to be. Simba...Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."

Simba argued, "But you're not scared of anything."

Mufasa replied, "I was today."

Simba asked, "You were?"

Mufasa answered as he bent down to the cub's level, "Yes. I thought I might lose you both."

Simba said relaxing a little, "Oh. I guess even kings get scared, huh?"

Mufasa replied with a nod, "M-hmm."

Simba asked, "But you know what?"

Mufasa asked, "What?"

Simba replied with a grin, "I bet those hyenas were even scarder."

Shani added with a smirk, "Yeah! I could imagine those three sprinting up a tree after you sent them running with that roar!"

Mufasa laughed in response and said with a smirk, "'Cause nobody messes with your dad. Come here, you!"

With that, he pulled both Simba and Shani in and gave them noogies.

Simba shouted in dismay, "Oh, no! No! Aaagh! Errggh!"

Shani shouted while trying to break free, "Ahhh! Mufasa!"

After a short struggle, they both broke free and Simba pounced at Mufasa, knocking him down. Once the lion king got up, he started running away from the two in laughter as they began chasing them. Both Shani and Simba managed to pounce at Mufasa, bringing him to the ground. They were all in laughter as Simba started playfully tugging on Mufasa's ear, and came to rest on top of his father's head with Shani sitting beside them.

Once they eased down, Simba asked his father, "Dad?"

Mufasa asked, "Hmm?"

Simba asked, "We're pals, right?"

Mufasa answered with a chuckle, "Right."

Simba asked, "And we'll always be together, right?"

Sitting up a little, Mufasa explained as they all looked up at the stars, "Simba, let me tell you and Shani something that my father told me...Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars."

Simba asked with wonder, "Really?"

Mufasa answered and went on to say, "Yes. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you...And so will I."

Looking up at the stars, Shani asked, "Mufasa, among the kings of the past, do you think any of the past human leaders are standing beside them?"

Mufasa answered, "For the past few generations, humans have lived and ruled alongside the lions of Pride Rock. So I could imagine them standing beside the great kings of the past."

Continuing to look to the stars, Shani asked, "Do you think my parents are up there?"

The lion king looked to her with concern and asked, "You're missing them aren't you?"

Shani answered with a sad sigh, "Everyday. Not a day goes by where I don't think about them."

Simba asked her, "Hey Shani, you've never told me about your village before. What was it like?"

Shani said with a small smile, "Oh, it was a beautiful place. It was a place where we all lived in peace, we all loved each other, and had the best mango trees...And the best part, everyday I woke up I got to see all sorts of animals running by our village, with even some of the villagers going to help some of the animals that were sick, injured or captured by poachers."

Simba said shrugging his shoulders, "The villagers helped the animals? But I thought all humans were meant to be savages."

Mufasa scolded, "Simba!"

Shani asked, "Who told you that?"

Simba answered, "My uncle, Scar. He said that all humans were born to be savages and would kill any animal that came in their direction."

Hearing that come out of Simba's mouth made Shani very angry. First Scar would throw disparaging comments to her face, then he would go to try to implant those same prejudices into Simba? A young cub?

Shaking her head, Shani said, "Now Simba, what your uncle said is not true. Sure, there maybe a few that aren't the most kind, but that doesn't mean every single human being in the world is bad."

Mufasa added, "She's right, Simba. And I'll admit, even I had those same concerns when I was your age."

Simba asked, "When did you see that humans can also be good?"

Mufasa explained, "I actually wasn't much older than you were when I saw how humans can also be kind. You see, when I was a cub, your uncle and I were off playing by the waterhole..."

 _ _A flashback was being shown of a young Mufasa and young scar who was then called Taka, playing with each other by the waterhole as a young Zazu watched on. They were tussling around and playing with each other. As Mufasa was chasing his brother around, Taka came up onto a rock and noticed the lining of a small net being hidden by some fallen leaves. Thinking of how their father told them earlier in the day that Mufasa would be the future king, he thought this would be a perfect plan to get rid of his brother and become king for himself.__

 _ _With a sinister grin, he looked over to Mufasa and said standing proudly on the rock, "Hey, Mufasa! Whoever can take this rock will be deemed the greatest king of the Savannah!"__

 _ _With a mischievous grin, Mufasa said, "You're on!"__

 _ _A nervous Zazu said, "Oh my! I can't watch!__

 _ _The older cub ran up to the rock and the two brothers began to wrestle with each other while the little hornbill flew above and out of the drama. As Mufasa had managed to pin Taka down, the younger cub found a way out by using his back legs to help flip Mufasa over, causing the older cub to fall off the rock and into the leaves, trapping him in the net. Already suspended in the net by a tree, Mufasa cried to his brother,__

 _ _"Ahhh! Taka! Zazu! Help me!"__

 _ _Feigning a look of worry, Taka said, "Don't worry! Zazu and I will go get Mom and Dad!"__

 _ _And with that, the young cub and hornbill took off running while Mufasa struggled in the net. After running from a great distance, Taka stopped and said to Zazu,__

 _ _"Zazu! You go get my Mom and Dad! I'll keep watch for any poacher!"__

 _ _The small bird said with a nod, "Right!"__

 _ _And Zazu took off while Taka turned back at the scene and gasped to see a young human woman with tan skin, dark hair, and purple eyes walk up to his brother. She was wearing a orange and yellow strapless dress with off the shoulder see through sleeves, a tan colored corset with red lace, a see through purple wrap around her waist, two bracelets on her right hand, three on the other, an anklet on her left ankle, two hoop earrings, and a blue necklace with a stone pendant.__

 _ _Pulling out her dagger, she came up to the young lion, looking to him with kind eyes. Fearing for his life, Mufasa started struggling and crying out even further. Seeing the poor lion cub struggle, the human woman looked up at him and said,__

 _ _"Shh, don't be afraid. I'm not going to harm you."__

 _ _Looking down into the woman's purple eyes, he saw that the young lady had good intentions and meant no harm. Once he was relaxed, the young woman used her dagger to cut through the net and freed the lion cub.__

 _ _After helping him down, Mufasa looked to her and asked, "You can talk?"__

 _ _She answered, "Sure I can. With this necklace, I can be able to talk to any kind of animal."__

 _ _Mufasa asked with a raised brow, "Why did you help me?"__

 _ _The young woman answered, "Because you needed it. No animal deserves to be trapped like that."__

 _ _With a small smile, the young cub said, "Well, thank you for saving my life."__

 _ _The young woman said with a nod, "You're welcome."__

 _ _Right when they were about to continue the conversation, suddenly they heard some big footsteps within the tall grass. Taking the initiative, the human said to the young cub,__

 _ _"Go! Run and keep yourself hidden!"__

 _ _Mufasa nodded and took off, hiding within the tall grass. Once he was out of sight, out came a young poacher who had set up the trap. He was a young man with dark green eyes, and some black hair tied into a pony tail. He was wearing an orange shirt with rolled up sleeves, a brown vest, brown gloves, brown pants, black boots, and a belt where he carried a hunting knife and an old fashioned gun.__

 _ _The poacher came up to the young woman and snarled, "You! You just released my prize! My sport!"__

 _ _Angrily, she fired back "That young cub is no prize, and he was never yours to begin with!"__

 _ _Enraged, the poacher grabbed her by the arm and snapped, pointing his hunting knife at the young woman,__

 _ _"You pathetic gypsy witch! You're gonna pay for ruining my game!"__

 _ _Right as he was about to kill her, suddenly, he heard a battle cry coming from the distance. Looking into the distance, he looked to see an African tribe come charging towards him. Taking the chance, the young woman punched him square in the jaw, causing him to release her and fall to the ground while she ran towards the tribe.__

 _ _Protectively standing in front of her, the leader of the tribe ordered with a warning glare,__

 _ _"You dare to come anywhere near this woman or the Savannah again, we will gladly leave your carcass to be fed to the lions!"__

 _ _With a scoff, the poacher got up and sneered while aiming his gun at the tribal leader, "And how will you do so? My weapons are far more superior compared to yours! So if I wanted to...I could just blow all of you away right now!"__

 _ _As he prepared to shoot at the tribal leader, suddenly, everyone heard a loud ferocious roar. The poacher lowered his gun and turned to see a mighty lion with golden fur, a black mane, and green eyes come to the side of the African tribe, along with a lioness who had dark brown fur and red eyes. And the young Mufasa and Taka came and stood by their parents. Both the mighty lions threateningly growled at the poacher as the tribal leader warned him while pointing his staff at him,__

 _ _"Leave the Savannah now! Or you will die where you stand!"__

 _ _Seeing that he was both outnumbered and overpowered, the poacher fearfully gulped and ran away screaming. Knowing now that their threat was gone, the lion king asked the young woman,__

 _ _"Are you alright?"__

 _ _The young woman turned to the lion king and answered, "Yes, I'm alright. Thank you."__

 _ _The tribal leader said turning to the lions, "King Ahadi and Queen Uru, we thank you for aiding us against our threat."__

 _ _Ahadi said, "It's no trouble at all, Jaffe. Our home is your home."__

 _ _Uru turned to the young woman and said while unbeknownst to them, Taka held a glare towards the human,__

 _ _"We would like to thank you for saving our son. I don't know what we would've done if it wasn't for you."__

 _ _The young woman replied, "I was happy to do it. There was no way that I was going to let this cub get hurt or killed, especially in that manner. And I thank you all for stepping in to help me."__

 _ _She turned to the tribal leader and said, "Especially you. I'd like to thank you for stopping that man."__

 _ _Jaffe said, "Well, I couldn't let him hurt such a beautiful lady like yourself."__

 _ _With a smirk, she asked, "Do you always say that to every girl that comes across the Savannah?"__

 _ _Jaffe answered, "No, just to you."__

 _ _The young woman looked to him with a warm smile with the tribal leader returning a smile, taking her hand and introducing himself,__

 _ _"I'm Jaffe, the leader of this tribe."__

 _ _The young woman replied, introducing herself, "I'm Topanga."__

 _ _And the two continue to look into each other's eyes lovingly as the flashback ended,__

Once the flashback ended, it continued with Mufasa saying, "And so, the human tribe finished building their village next to the Pridelands, Jaffe and Topanga fell in love and got married, And it was since that day I saw that not all humans are dangerous."

Paying attention to the story, Shani asked with a raised brow, "Wait a minute, what names did you say belonged to the humans?"

Mufasa replied, "Jaffe and Topanga. Why?"

Shani answered with a small smile, "Those were my parents names."

Mufasa looked to her with surprise as Simba asked the human girl, "Shani, what happened to your parents?"

Shani answered with a saddened look on her face, "It's a really sad story, but I'll tell you. When I was six years old, I was playing in the village with the other children. But after awhile, I wandered away from the group to play with a butterfly..."

 _ _Another flashback was being shown of a young Shani carrying her small stuffed lion doll while running from her village to chase a butterfly. Shani giggled and said as she continued to chase the small creature,__

 _ _"Hey come back! I just wanna play!" But the butterfly soon vanished from her vision.__

 _ _As Shani continued to look for the small creature, suddenly, the butterfly came back to her and landed on the little girl's nose. Shani giggled as the butterfly batted it's wings at her face and soon flew away, causing Shani to look to the sky, waving bye to the butterfly while saying,__

 _ _"Bye, bye, butterfly!"__

 _ _Once the butterfly was gone, Shani looked further into the distance to see a big mountain like rock. Wanting to get a better view, Shani stood on top of a big rock in front of her and looked out into the distance to see the entire Savannah.__

 _ _She gasped and said, "Wow! The entire Savannah!"__

 _ _looking on in amazement, she saw the antelopes leaping by, the lions resting while the cubs played with each other, the elephants walking by, and the unique birds that passed her by.__

 _ _Right as she was about to turn back and leave, all of a sudden, she heard something shifting around in the tall grass. She looked closer to see a dark young lion with a small black mane and green eyes growling and lurking towards her. She screamed in alarm as the dark lion came out of his hiding spot and roared, charging towards the little girl. Thinking fast, little Shani started running for her life, back towards the village.__

 _ _Hearing her screams, Jaffe and the village men came out of their houses, grabbed their weapons and charged at the dark young lion as the little girl ran past them, dropping her doll.__

Once the flashback ended, Shani went on to say, "They've tried everything they could to chase the lion away from the village, but he became too powerful and...And soon enough, the village completely burned down and my parents were gone forever."

Both Mufasa and Simba looked to the young woman with sadness and concern in their eyes as Shani said while being close to crying,

"And I-I blame myself everyday for it."

Mufasa nuzzled the young woman comfortingly and said, "Whatever happened to your parents was not your fault, Shani."

Simba added, "Yeah, you were just a kid then. You didn't know that was going to happen."

Shani sadly smiled at them with a nod and sniffle, and continued to say,

"After my parents died, I was sent to live with my aunt Bolah in another village. And let me tell you, she was anything but nice. And it was only until after I rescued your mom from a poacher's trap Simba, that I decided to leave my aunt's village for good and try to find and restore my village into what it once was."

Simba said following her story, "And that's when the hyenas tried to attack you, and dad came in to save you?"

Shani answered with a nod, "That's right. And once I was out of danger, your father allowed me to come live with you and the rest of the pride, and I've been here ever since."

Simba said, "Wow! You have one heck of a story, Shani. I'm glad that you came to live with us. And I'm sorry about what I said earlier."

Shani said, "It's alright, Simba...There were many other poachers and other humans that say that lions are savages and blood thirsty killers. But I know that's wrong, and that some lions can be peaceful too. Maybe your uncle and the poachers were wrong about the both of us."

Mufasa smiled and said, "Well if there's one thing I know isn't wrong, it was allowing you to live among us and the Pridelands, as well as choosing you to be the next leader of the humans."

Shani returned the smile and said, "You know, for so many years I've forgotten what it's like to be apart of a family. And living alongside you, Simba, and the rest of the pride, it felt like I was able to experience that feeling again."

Mufasa replied, "And you were always welcome amongst our family, Shani."

Simba added, "Yeah! I think it's pretty cool to have a human for a big sister."

Shani warmly smiled at them and wrapped her arms around Mufasa, embracing her father figure, and playfully ruffled up Simba's head as they continued to look at the starry night sky for a while longer.


End file.
